Forgotten
by QUEEN EEVEE
Summary: adjective; unremembered, lost, past, buried, left behind, omitted, obliterated, bygone, blotted out, consigned to oblivion, past recall, gone  clean  out of your mind a faint whisper of a forgotten world far away
1. Act 1

QE: I apologise now for it being depressing. It includes ideas of mental illness, abandonment, emotional trauma and severe mutilation of the canon time line. Includes gay and straight relationships.

E.S.P:She's had this idea for four months and it wouldn't leave her.

QE:Yeah and unlike the rest of my recent stories I haven't finished the story yet so its subject to change.

Evestar:She owns nothing. Not even a chocobo.

QE: I want a chocobo.

Evestar: You also want a Genesis plushie.

QE:Yeah.

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><p>He didn't know where it began but deep down he didn't care. They were content sneaking around in secret. He couldn't break they little arrangement. He only asked that they didn't leave him behind. His boyfriend and his best friend. He couldn't say that he knows and they would try and apologise and their happy little ending would turn sad. So he smiled and quoted. Played the role of boyfriend and best friend and tried not to feel alone and unwanted like he had his whole life and they unknowingly would dance around him further and further away until they were no longer in sight. Yet he was happy with this because he knew no difference. Always the different one, the fragile one, the annoying one but never the one that needed a shoulder or comfort.<p>

They would never carry the bruises that he carries with him forever.

The table in front of him slammed. If anyone was around they would have looked.

"Fuck both of them." He looked slightly confused at his best friend's puppy. He never swore. "Do you know what your boyfriend and my mentor are doing right now in your office?"

"Yes."

"Damn his so called honour...wait what?" Puppy pause mid rant and tilted his head in the dog like way looking so confused. "You know?"

"I've always known." He sighed getting up and walking away. This was the last conversation he ever wanted. "And you never told me. Blackmail them as much as you want. I don't care that much." He walked towards the training rooms. He just needed to be alone.

He was aware the Puppy was following him and walked in after him. "Gen you deserve better than that." He would never know why the Puppy sounded so hurt.

"No I don't" He just stared at the Puppy unsure of what to do and it scared him.

"You can go on pretending it doesn't hurt you because I know if it didn't I was be ash right now." He could argue but he hadn't any energy to summon a fireball. "Why do you think you deserve it?"

He opened his mouth only to close it again and turn away. He had done talking to the Puppy.

"Gen please. I want to help."

"Everything is fine as it is." He sat in the corner and started reading LOVELESS.

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Meet some cute girls Kunsel said. They like army guys Kunsel said. Cloud now knew why Zack told him to keep away from the pervert. He sighed and got dressed out of the pink fairy costume. He had a lot of papers to deliver to the most terrifying person in Shinra because he blacked out during training. If they hadn't made him do night duties every night for the last week he wouldn't have.

He tied the green scarf on that was required all weathers even stinking hot and picked up the huge pile of papers to be signed. He feared for his life but it was now or never. He even had a key card thanks to Zack, and directions thanks to Kunsel, the pervert. Although he couldn't complain no one would recognise him in those pictures, he wore a wig and mask and the money went to either his mother or towards books and clothes.

He sighed trying to manage the files and open Kunsel's door.

He flattened himself against the wall as Zack walked by pissed. It was not his place to say anything. He groaned in his head as the large pile of files started to attempt an escape from his arms. Now the attempt at closing the god damn door. He silently cursed Kunsel and walked down the corridor leaving the door wide open because A it was his fault he abandoned a cadet and B he would probably going to die if any of the rumours about him were true.

It beat being beaten up by his peers who have taken to bullying him. Not that any of the officers cared. If it wasn't for Zack and unfortunately Kunsel he didn't think he was going to be here and prove everyone right when he returned to Nibelheim.

Maybe if he was paying attention and not looking behind him in case some tried to trip him, again, he wouldn't have fallen flat on his ass and files flying everywhere when he walked into something solid. "Sorry." He said frantically piling all the files back together.

"It's ok." The deep voice asked. "Do you need help?"

He shook his head refusing to look at the guy. He was stressed out as it was. Exams which he had no idea about the theories, training which he was struggling to keep up and he was in punishment everyday meaning he wasn't able to catch up. If he looked at the guy he knew he would burst out crying.

Red gloved hands took the file he was about to grab.

"You have no choice cadet." He could tell the person was smiling at him through his voice.

"Thank you." He looked up and smiled. The guy was pretty with auburn hair and ocean blue eyes that stood out so beautifully against his pale skin and he was wearing a first class uniform with a red leather coat. 'What was the rule about someone in a red coat again?' He asked himself. He couldn't help but notice the guy looked a little sad. He so wasn't going to tell Zack his previous tough patterns about this guy. It was bad enough when he mentioned the general to him.

"Where to?" He asked holding the files up.

"Commander Rhapsodos." He huffed. "I'm being punished for falling asleep."

"Oh really." There was a bit of humour in the guy's voice.

Cloud nodded. "All the cadets are scared of him. Stories are told to keep us in line." He gave the guy a shy smile. "You don't have to help me." He said as they got to the god damn lifts.

"It's doesn't matter I'm heading that way. Zack collared me."

"I feel for you. He does that to me to."

They both shared a laugh.

"Do you know him?" Cloud asked after a while of silence.

"A little." There was a hint of humour in his voice.

"I'm just scared he's going to burn me for the amount of paper work." He couldn't stop himself from sounding sincerely scared.

The guy's voice softened. "I'm sure he wouldn't. He only fira dumbarses and idiots."

"But I am an Idiot." He had no idea why he was being open, maybe because this guy had been so nice to him and people who were kind to him were far and few between. Even Reno was underhandedly mean to him and Kunsel well he had the photos to prove it.

"Why?"

"I'm too stupid to pass the exam. I'm going to get kicked out for sure." He sighed and tried to hold back the tears. "If I can't do this then I can never become a SOLIDER."

They walked down the monotonous corridor in silence.

"Are you being mentored?"

"Zack's trying to get me in." He said quietly. Zack was determined to help him and he was so useless it made him feel bad for all the enough Zack was putting in was going to waste.

His companion nodded and they stopped outside a simple door. There was no marking to indicate it was the entrance to hell.

His companion beat him into opening the door. "He's not in right now so you just leave them on the desk."

Cloud nodded and placed them on the desk next to the really old looking computer.

It was sad how empty the room really was. It was simple and plain in colours and there was no life. A brown desk and office chair stood parallel to the window. There was a door to one side, a red sofa opposite it and a wardrobe hid the door but only just.

"Thanks. I'll get out of your hair." Cloud smiled at him before freezing. In the doorway stood the General in all his glory, his silver hair casted out the hallway light making him glow and Cloud stood there bricking himself. He knew something was going to go wrong.

"Can you meet me in the briefing room Genesis?" He asked his auburn hair companion.

Cloud started freaking out. His entire time he was with Commander Rhapsodos and he heard everything he had said about him. Oh crap he was dead.

"You had to go and ruin all my fun." He laughed. "The cadet didn't know who I was."

Cloud wished the ground opened up underneath him and swallow him whole or just enough to kill him.

Sephiroth just blinked at him.

"Yes about what time?"

"Meeting is about one." The General turned around and walked away.

Cloud tried edging his way to the door.

"I'm not going to fira you stop stressing." Genesis laughed. "Zack would kill me anyway."

"That really doesn't fill me with hope." Cloud said before gulping and closing his eyes. "Just make it quick."

He didn't know when he had crossed the room but he flicked his forehead. "Like I said I'm not going to fira you."

"Why not?" He asked concerned. He had bad mouthed the guy right? And to his face.

"_My friend the fates are cruel; here are no dreams, no honour remains._"

"Yeah LOVELESS is all well and good but that doesn't answer my question." Cloud really wished he had kept his mouth shut.

He flinched when his companion laughed then relaxed it was such a nice sound he couldn't help but smile. "It's been a while since someone had a go at me for that. People just except it and leave me too it." His features softened. "I take it they won't expect you back and you look like you need to sleep." Before he could argue the commander continued. "You can rest here I'll be in a meeting in half an hour and Zack would truly kill me if I let you go off on your own."

Cloud nodded unsure what to do.

"See you later Chocobo." He smiled before vanishing out the office door.

"IT'S CLOUD STRIFE." Cloud yelled after him.

"Whatever Chocobo." He heard the voice laugh.

"Bastard." Cloud mumbled and started to freak out again. What the hell was he to do? He pulled out the phone Reno had unknowingly lent him and phoned Zack. If anyone knew how to get out of this situation it would be him.

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Zack stared at Kunsel who until a minute ago was laughing. He really wasn't in a good mood and Kunsel was starting to freak out.

"Erm Zack what's wrong?" Kunsel asked worried.

"Nothing." Zack spat while barely containing his emotions. He believed ever word his mentor had ever told him and in matter of seconds his whole crashed when he walked into Genesis office to collect papers.

"Do you want to be left alone?" Kunsel asked generally concerned and Zack couldn't blame him. He couldn't remember the last time he got this pissed off.

He nodded and the moment his friend left the door he punched the wall before shaking his hand and glaring at the new dent like it was the reason for all his anger. In truth he was more annoyed at Genesis than Angeal. Genesis had looked so defeated and distant and refused to let him help. "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck." He tried to vent as much as possible but it wasn't working he was just getting more worked up. He placed his face in his hands and slumped against the wall. He wanted to know why the red commander, the one that scared everyone more than the General, was so ... defeated.

He fumbled the phone out of his pocket to phone Aerith. If anyone knew what to do it was her. It was scary how much she knew but she only ever used it for good and not evil. She'd make one hell of an evil villain. He really didn't like his chances against her.

He let out an unmanly scream when his phone went off. He sighed when he looked at the caller ID. "What Reno."

"Hey. He doesn't know I'm borrowing his phone." The small voice of Cloud Strife came out of the speaker.

"He will do now." Zack smiled. Cloud was too fragile to vent at, however Reno was fair game.

"Yeah. I'm stuck in Commander Rhapsodos' room and I have no idea what to do." Admitting he needed help was not Cloud's strong point and he was whispering. He didn't trust Genesis that much to stay calm and not target Cadets.

"Stay there." Zack ordered before hanging up and flying out the room. How long could Cloud have against Genesis?

When he ran in through the door he didn't expect Cloud to be on his own looking bored.

"Hey." He said weakly.

Cloud nodded. "I think I've been given the day off."

Zack quickly gather his bearing. "You ok."

Cloud tried nodding but the tone Zack used just made him cry.

"Hey it's ok." Zack did what he normally ended up once a week doing and hug Cloud as he cried. It wasn't Cloud's fault he missed the last exam and got stuck in the god damn stupid army. He was trying so hard and it broke Zack's heart to see the goddess laugh at Cloud's misfortune. "If Gen's gave you the day off we'll go get ice cream later."

"I couldn't." Cloud tried to pull away.

"Hey I know I'll phone Gen up to see if I can get the day off as well. Then we can spend the day doing fuck all." Zack grinned. "I know lets go see Aerith I need to talk to her anyway." He started to phone Genesis and something buzzed in the desk. "Hey Gen. If I can't have the day off say something now...Ok see you later."

Cloud looked at him gone out.

"First we need to get you changed and me because under the plate don't like Shinra." Zack grabbed his arm and dragged him out the room. "They only deal with me because of Aerith."

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Genesis sat in the meeting room waiting for Sephiroth. He was late. It was unlike him. He sat on the table swinging his legs back and forth unsure what to do. If he stayed Sephiroth still might not turn up and they was a ton of paperwork to get through and if he went Sephiroth might turn up and he'll be in trouble later.

He flopped back on the oval desk and stared at the off white ceiling. He closed his eyes and tried to catch some sleep. He couldn't remember when he had last slept properly.

He glanced at the clock. Two. An hour late.

He sat up and huffed. He sat there and just waited for his other half to turn up.

Lazard walked in and gave him a funny look. He didn't say anything and left him to it.


	2. Act 2

QE:I have a feeling people are expecting this to go a different way that it will be.

E.S.P:On another note. This is up dated a day late. Which is a record.

QE:Yeah thanks.

E.S.P:^^

Cyndaquil:We would like to thank everyone who has commented and favourited and surprisingly story alert ed.

QE:We'd like to thank our Beta GabesGurl as she took time and effort to help out.

Evestar:And we hope you get better soon.

Cyndaquil:The girls own nothing if they did there would be a lot more Yoai in Final Fantasy and Kingdom hearts.

QE:Oh yeah mardy is a local slang my mum told me for sulking. Also Crisis core names will be used for materia.

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><p>"It's a crazy plan." Kunsel yawned and stretched over Zack's second hand and sun bleached yellow couch. "Why would Cloud want to be friends with Genesis and why would Genesis care a Cadet exists?"<p>

Zack, who was sitting backwards on his black and saved from the tip office chair, shrugged. "Genesis only has three friends." He had to previously explained the situation to Kunsel and made him promise on his collection of comic books that he wouldn't tell and help him. Kunsel was good at thinking through stuff like this it needed something delicate and he was useless at it.

"It would look a bit suspect if you suddenly got them to hang out. What did Aerith say?"

Zack sighed. "She gave me the go ahead. When she saw Cloud she automatically went to comfort him and he broke down again. It's not healthy for either of them."

"You can't run their lives." Kunsel stared at him. "Stop trying."

"You promised to help me." Zack grinned. "If you don't I get your comic books."

"I know. I will help I just don't think you should." Kunsel sighed. "It's their lives not yours."

The dark haired male tried to think of a bad side to this. Other than Genesis trying to kill him later, which he kind of missed, and Cloud never ever talking to him again. There was no down side. "I'm not stopping."

"Thought so."

"So any ideas."

"Yeah one."

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Genesis typed up reports on his new computer in a crappy outer casing. He had no idea why he had it that way but he preferred it.

He had not seen anyone all morning and he didn't know if that was a blessing or not. Sephiroth was not there when he woke up. Surprisingly he had fallen asleep last night. Even if it was two o'clock in the morning and he had to be up at five. It still gave him a lot of time to think stuff through.

He was lost in work he didn't hear the door open.

"Hey Gen." Zack called out happily.

"I have more syllables in my name than that." He replied not bothering to look up.

"Yeah. I bring you food and coffee...Well I think it's coffee." He stated putting the box of pancakes and cup of the questionable coffee on the table.

Genesis just stared at it. "No I'm not talking."

"Kay. I wanted to know if you would like to come out tonight. I would ask Angeal but I'm still mad at him." Zack looked at the door nervously and back at him. "Oh course you don't have to."

"Has Seph put you up to this?"

Zack shook his head. "I haven't really spoken to him since I walked in on them."

"What are you up to?" Genesis asked staring him down.

"I'm trying to get you friends. Either play ball or don't." Someone behind the door groaned at Zack as he tried to sound threatening. "You're sitting alone in your office doing work. Day in. Day out. So you have no choice."

"Get Angeal to sign me up with Cloud." Genesis stated throwing a file for Angeal at Zack's head. "I assume you're going that way anyway." Zack gave him a confused helpless look. "Mentorship."

"Actually I wasn't but cool." Zack exclaimed looking like a puppy with a new ball. "The offers still there tell me later." He almost bounced out of the room. It caused a laugh to escape Genesis lips which actually made Zack skip out the room.

"Grow up Zack."

The room felt empty again when he left. Genesis got stuck back into work. His mind was wandering and he really hated it when it did that.

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"Cloud guess what?" Zack beamed.

Cloud was anxious Zack had dragged him out of lessons and they were going to kill him when he got back. They normally do. "What?"

"It doesn't work if you don't guess." Zack whined.

"I never guess." Cloud sighed trying not to think about the near future.

He tried not to get anxious when Zack placed both hands on his shoulders. Normally Zack forgot he wasn't a SOLIDER and he ended up not being able to breathe in his bear hugs. "What do you really want in the world?"

"For you to stop invading my personal space."

"You're such a kidder." Zack grinned. "Try again."

"Zack I was in the middle of sword training." Cloud whined. To be honest with himself he hated sword training unless it was one on one with Zack or Kunsel. The cadets didn't train with him they try to take him out.

"Yeah and? You hate sword training. I've seen the scars." Zack grinned. "Cadet grab your stuff, you start being mentored this afternoon."

"Can you come in with me?" Cloud asked looking nervously at the door. The last thing he wanted to do was go back in there with them.

"Yeah. I have cadets and officers to annoy."

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Zack's previously good mood quickly darkened. He had left Cloud to get washed and get some sleep in his room before heading to his shared office to attempt do some variety of work or bug Kunsel. Whichever came first.

Unfortunately the second person he really wanted to kill recently was standing before him. Other than Sephiroth who was a social retard and he could cope with that. However he could never accept from his mentor any excuse. While facing said mentor he tried to keep his temper under control.

Person number one, also known as the red commander, was currently sitting in his room doing some paper work or planning for later, which thankfully he didn't have to do.

"Sir." He refused to be himself around him as he saluted. He surprised himself by continuing this philosophy during training. It annoyed him to hell but there was no way he was ever going to trust that guy again.

"Zack we need to talk."

"Sorry Sir, I have got to go do work." Zack dropped his hand and walked past. He couldn't say it didn't hurt to do that because it did. It hurt him so much to walk past him and no say hi or do something stupid and familiar. He had trusted him and looked up to him. He had shared so many precious moments with him. Only to have all those moments come crashing down in a split second.

As he turned the corner he tried not to cry. Aerith's advice came to mind. "One day you'll have to face him. You need to prepare." So he headed to his office to write everything down. For once in his life he was going to be organised.

Kunsel for once didn't make a stupid comment about him working as he wrote everything down. A box of tissues was thrown at him and he was left alone with his own mind.

He silently thanked Kunsel when the door closed shut.

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Cloud sat in the training room on top of the crash mats and swinging his legs back and forth. He had stupidly turned up an hour early and had nothing to do. He couldn't even get into the sword cupboard to grab the wooden ones for practice. Cadets weren't allowed to play with the real ones. Only fake crappy ones that normally fell to pieces during training. If Zack was there he would have held him back and they would have played some stupid war game that he was rubbish at and made some food before he left so he didn't leave so stupidly early but he never returned from work.

Something was moving his way and fast so he put his hands up and caught it. It was small and rectangular and vague looked like Zack's PHS but it didn't have a touch screen the key board was under the screen and slid out.

"You need it by requirement."

His head shot up and he realised he wasn't alone. Genesis was standing on the other side of room looking really bored.

"Sorry I was in my own little world." Cloud stated jumping down. After the initial shock a couple of days ago he was not so scared of him anymore. Saying that the man was still terrifying.

Genesis just ignored him and walked over to the sword locker. Cloud noticed something was different but he couldn't place what until he turned around. He was wearing a pair of black half moon glasses on his face. Genesis raised his eyebrow when he realised Cloud was staring. "The object is to get them off. However you want." He held out a slim two and a half foot sword.

It was a lot lighter than Cloud expected. "Can I try them on?"

"Nice try." A red sword was held out in his red gloved hand and Genesis got into a short stance. "If you stab me in the face I will not be impressed."

Cloud nodded and lunged forwards trying to catch him off guard.

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Zack burst out laughing the moment he walked in through the door. Genesis was sitting on the crash mats with a bloody rag applied to the side of his face and Cloud standing next to him apologising repeatedly.

"Shut up Zackary." A dangerous growl escaped from the auburn hair males lips.

"Seriously at no point did you think to bring Cure or a Cura?" Zack laughed throwing the materia at Genesis' head.

"Come here and let me stab you through the face." He growled.

Zack laughed and walked towards them. "Yeah right." He was grinning like a madman.

Cloud looked as if at any moment he was going to faint.

"Don't worry about it Cloud. If he was going to kill you you'd be dead now." Zack laughed slapping the cadet on the back.

"I'm really sorry." Cloud apologised again refusing to look at anyone. In his mind he knew Genesis was never going to help him again and no one else would take him on.

"Don't worry about it." Genesis sighed rubbing the last of the blood off his cheek. "Zack you need to buy him ice cream." Cloud looked at both of them weirdly.

Genesis pointed to the broken pair of glasses on the floor.

"No shit he got them off." Zack exclaimed. He rubbed the back of his neck when Cloud still looked at him weirdly. "Long story. When Angeal was deciding whether or not to train me I was put on probation for a couple of session. Gen had the idea that I had to fight him and get his stupid glasses off. Angeal really didn't like it but didn't stop us. I still can't do it."

"How does that help?" Cloud asked while trying to work out the best way to get away from the unstable people. Unfortunately he had no escape.

"Well it helps Genesis decide on where you need practice in sword fighting and foot work plus how you think, whether you're offensive, defensive, strategic or crazy." Zack explained. "Didn't you ask at the beginning of the session?"

Cloud shook his head.

"It's not called crazy Zack it's called suicidal." Genesis stated as he pulled out a mirror to making sure the wound has healed.

"No it's called crazy." Zack grinned. "Because it's funny when the opponent is looking at you like you have completely lost your mind and you land a strike.

"Do cadets learn about materia?" Genesis asked.

Zack shook his head and Cloud looked away.

"That's stupid."

"We can't be trusted." Cloud stated grimly.

"You know when I said I wouldn't be impressed. Well I am. Nobody but Seph has managed to land a hit me in ages." Genesis stated mildly amused.

"So you're not mad at me?" Cloud asked once more. He hated asking questions as it made him feel stupid but both the SOLIDERs were not making his life easy.

"Nope. Just more annoyed I forgot a cure." Genesis glared at Zack being a smug git.

"Have you told him everything he needs to do?" Zack asked while doing squats.

"You were supposed to." There was mild amusement between them when Zack's face dropped.

"Oh...yeah."

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He was not possessive. He swore he wasn't. He was only watching the security cameras to make sure Genesis didn't kill the poor cadet. Other than some of his foot work being sloppy and angling his body weirdly the kid was doing well on his own.

It was the way Zack acted so familiar around them that hurt. Also the way he kept looking at him like he was the reason for all the evil in the world hurt a lot. He knew he betrayed his puppy but he wasn't being given a chance to explain or apologise. He knew his behaviour was not honourable. He had no excuse for it.

The other reason was he wanted to know how much Genesis knew of their relationship. Sephiroth and him did everything in their power to make sure he would not find out. However no plan was perfect and that worried him.

Often Genesis would show no indication he knew then every once in a while he would look at the two of them like he was afraid of losing them. He still didn't know if Genesis knew or was paranoid. He never stated anything but he also never questioned their lateness.

He knew it wasn't honourable but if he told Genesis the pain and heartache it would cause would devastate Genesis, so he said nothing in order to protect his oldest friend. It didn't mean that it didn't hurt sneaking around in silence but every time he raised it up with Sephiroth it would bat it away like it was nothing. Could it really be nothing? Was it just the simple fuck they intended to be? Or had it evolved? It hurt just thinking of those questions.

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"There are other favours than Vanilla?" Cloud exclaimed. He never been to an ice cream parlour, last time they tried Zack got distracted by everything so they never ended up there. Luxuries like this would never be covered by his income. Every gil went on accommodation and food although the money Kunsel gave him could be used for this he normally spent it on other things.

Genesis, Zack and the woman behind the counter gave him funny looks.

"Would you like to try free sample?" The woman asked.

Cloud shook his head. He didn't want to burst he taste buds yet. "Can one of you order for me?" He asked slightly freaking out.

"Sure Cloudy." Zack smiled. "Take it there wasn't a lot of choice back home."

"It freezing there all the time and we couldn't afford luxuries." He stated. Ice cream was a birthday deal. To be totally honest with himself nothing had changed between then and now.

He slightly regretted that decision when a monstrosity was given to him. It had way too many colours and chocolates and cream on it.

"If you can't eat it I'm sure the dust bin will." Genesis said dryly glaring at Zack.

"Hey." Zack huffed.

Both their ice creams were smaller than Clouds.

He ignored both of them as he decided on where to start.

They ended up sitting as far away from the door as possible and Genesis and Zack had their backs to the wall and he had his back to the door. They were arguing about something or other and he just blanked them out.

"Hey Cloudy."

He blinked at Zack while trying not to make a face. The ice cream was a lot colder than he had expected.

"If you had a boyfriend who cheated on you with your best friend what would you do?"

He frowned at Zack and wondered how he knew he was gay and why was Genesis about ready to kill said friend. "Be mardy."

"What?"

"Emo in the corner." He ignored him and continued with his ice cream.

"You're no good."

Cloud shrugged. Whatever they were talking about had no interest in it for him. He did however worry for his own sanity when he started to have a silence staring contest and conversation with the dollop of ice cream.


	3. Act 3

QE:Sorry I've been avoiding updates.

E.S.P:There were multiple reasons. One was her friends dragged her out to have a life.

QE:...Annoyignly...

E.S.P:The internet crashed for an entire week.

QE:...Again...

E.S.P:Our beta is missing.

QE:And I'm worried about her.

E.S.P:And she's stuck.

QE:Which brings me to my first question which would be awesome if someone could answer it for me.

Evestar:Why is Aerith important?

QE:Also I'm basing Genesis state of mind on what I learned in Psychology and theories that make sense to me.

E.S.P:Again she owns nothing.

* * *

><p>Genesis walked into Sephiroth's apartment and silently regretted it. The apartment was still a tip of books, magazines and whatever take out they had last week. He wasn't minded if Sephiroth was in. There would be something equally annoying he would have to do.<p>

He sighed and changed out of his uniform into something comfy and set to work cleaning it up. If it meant Sephiroth would try and kill him for it later than at least he paid attention to him this week which was a depressing thought and he quickly replaced it. Books went into Sephiroth's study. Magazines were either binned if they were three months out of date, if Sephiroth wanted them then they would be in their rightful place in his study, the rest were sorted and placed under the glass on the table on a shelf.

Food was harder. He was resorted to wearing washing up gloves and double lined bin bags in an attempt to keep whatever was growing from escaping. He was no longer allowed to set fire to anything in the house any more. He swore he had seen some of Hojo's experiments which were less repulsive. One of the silver containers nearly made him throw up. It held a thick liquid which looked and smelt just like an iron based substance. The red liquid rolled around the container and he threw it in the bag before spending ten minutes with his head in the bathroom sink.

He removed himself from the bathroom and started to use anti bacterial on the sides. He had to stop when the clear liquid started to take on a reddish tint. He threw the gloves across the room and hid his face in his hands. He shuddered in pain and willed the hallucinations not to take over. Blood was not oozing out of the walls and under the door. No being beyond death was in the building after him and the pain in his left shoulder will go away. It just had to or he was going to go insane and massacre a village. He wished it was auditory so he could play something loud to ignore it. They were easy to deal with.

The door opened and closed and he focused his attention on the silver haired General who still took his breath away every time he walked into a room. "You're back early." The deep baritone still captivated him like it did the first time they met.

"I've got Hollander this afternoon and couldn't face work." He nodded while heading into the bedroom and took that answer off Genesis even though the real reason was Genesis had done all the work and came back so the hallucinations didn't get him there. He could ignore them when he had sometime to focus on. Focusing stopped him from thinking, he normally spent ages on LOVELESS but lately it had been less of a distraction. That made him sad as LOVELESS had always been there for him even when he was little.

He flinched when he hear something heavy drop in the bedroom. He kept trying to tell himself it was nothing more than Sephiroth's belt. He wasn't under attack and he didn't need to be on guard. There was no point to it.

Cool hands rested themselves on his shoulders. He lent back to look at the curtain of silver with two green orbs with a splash of blue watching him. "You've been going a lot recently."

He couldn't tell if the younger male was generally concerned or a little bit annoyed. He didn't know how to proceed. If he was honest then Sephiroth will feel guilty and if he lied he'll feel guilty. Where was the safe ground both of them could cope with?

So he lied. "He just wants to make sure I won't aggravate the wound while training the cadet." In reality Genesis was dying and he could never tell Sephiroth or Angeal. The treatments were torture and he couldn't cope with the pain. Sometimes he just wanted to rip his back off because he felt it would cause him less pain.

"Is he any good?"

"Yeah. Other than over thinking everything and freaking out when something goes slightly wrong and completely going to pieces he's ok." He smirked. He had a mask to keep up. "Maybe one day he'll give you a run for your money."

"Doubt it." Cool hands moved to his cheek and Sephiroth kissed him.

He knew what was coming next. He knew his part so perfectly. Every groan, moan and movement.

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There was nothing to do. Zack had vanished to attack his girlfriend with affection. Genesis had an appointment. Kunsel was currently on a mission. He could never find Reno when he needed him so Cloud was left behind to study. On his own. In the SOILDER library.

His brain felt of cotton wool as he tried to take notes from books. Pretty much all the words started to mean nothing to him. He was sure he had read the same page eight times now.

He sighed and went to take the book out. He still had Genesis office key so he planned to go there and sleep. He'd been training with Zack all day and he was still recovering from it. He absolutely refused to return to the barracks no matter what.

He'd spent the last week being trained by Genesis so his body was trying to recover. He knew he was learning more than in normal lessons so he didn't mind. At least he could tell Zack where he got his most recent bruises from and not lie to him.

"Hey look its Strife."

Cloud bolted down the corridor. There was no way he was going to find out who called out his name. The fact they gave chase only encouraged him to try and get away quicker.

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Not being able to face Sephiroth due to pain lead Genesis back to his office. He just needed time to let the strong painkiller to kick in.

Today's hallucination where being especially cruel. He saw Cloud laying on his floor curled up in a ball. Blood was creeping towards him. Cloud was whimpering.

He didn't know what to do. There was a chance it wasn't fake and Cloud could actually be in pain. Normally bodies would be lying on the floor laughing at him.

He decided to humour the hallucination until it could later be proved wrong. He placed his hand on it's neck. The pulse was weak and the skin was cold. He used his other hand to check for bleeding. Someone had badly stabbed him in his gut. It started to cry out in pain.

The attention to detail was starting to freak him out.

He grabbed his PHS and called Zack.

"Yellow." The happy voice called out.

"Where's Cloud?" He was starting to panic.

"Gen? I haven't seen him since this afternoon." The puppy stated slightly confused.

Tears started to flow down Genesis' face. "I don't know if it's a hallucination or not but Cloud's in my office bleeding."

"Gen listen to me. Treat him as if he is and I'll be there asap." The PHS went dead.

Eternity stretched out before Zack came barrelling in.

Before anyone could say anything Zack had picked up Cloud and was running out of the room with him, leaving Genesis sitting by the bloody first aid box.

Voices were laughing at him. Calling him a failure. Calling him useless. Telling him everyone will leave him because he was weak and pathetic.

"Gen." He jumped and looked at Zack. The look of sympathy made him cringe.

All he could do was say sorry. He didn't realise how exhausted he was until Zack caught him before he fell down.

"Take it easy." Zack sat with him. He just kept a hand on his arm and moved it in small circles. "Do you want me to get anyone?"

Genesis shook his head. He felt useless he couldn't stop himself from freaking out or crying.

Due to sheer exhaustion he blacked out.

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Zack lent against the back of the sofa with Genesis long crashed out against his shoulder.

He never expected that horror show when he walked in. Then again what Genesis said and how he sounded should have given him clues. Genesis was even whiter than Cloud and shaking. He could barely form two sentences together. He knew he had to get to Cloud to the infirmary instantly but Genesis was in no state to do anything. Two hours later when he got back Genesis still hadn't moved. He had to take everything out of his hands and he still looked so glassy eyed and lost. It wasn't until he said his name did Genesis showed any form of life. Then he had the nerve to apologise like it was all his fault. Even in sleep he wasn't safe. He kept crying out 'father' and 'I'm sorry', 'please stop'. He was going to ask about it later but now Zack just assumed he was having a nightmare so he started to talk. He didn't know what he was saying it just sounded good. It didn't help he was tired and just wanted to sleep. The body next to him calmed down.

"You know what?" He said out loud. "I am going to find out what's wrong with you Genesis and I will find away to make you smile. I assume I'd have to talk to a Turk." He started to form plans in his mind. "Reno might be able to get me to Tseng but if he can't I'll blackmail Cissnei she owes me big time." He sighed. "What are we going to do about Cloud? They said he had defensive wounds all along his arm. If I didn't know better I'd say he had self harmed. Some of them were really old. I know he's being bullied bad but he won't let me do anything. We can't be around him twenty four seven because he will hate us for it and next time it could be so much worse. He won't fight back. He won't tell anyone what's going on. Worst of all he thinks he deserves it."

"That's stupid." Genesis mumbled sitting up. He still looked like he was dead.

"Why? You think no differently." He didn't mean to sound bitchy but he was too tired to care. "You let Angeal and Seph abuse you."

"They don't I..." Genesis dropped his face to his hands. "I don't know."

Zack patted him on the back. "When you work it out wake me up." He rolled his head back and closed his eyes. Sleeping like that wouldn't kill him for one night. He crashed out between the wall and the sofa at Kunsel's place before.

"I suppose they are my only real friends."

Zack snorted. "I'm your friend and you phoned me not Seph, not Angeal, Did you even consider them?" He saw Genesis shake his head. He didn't really expect that he thought he was phoned because Cloud was his friend. "Really? Why?"

Genesis looked away slightly confused. Zack felt bad for him it looked like Genesis but no one was really there. "I can't phone them. I can't tell them. I'm..." Genesis shut himself off.

"I'm going to order up some food. Do you want some? No scrape that I'll get you something." Zack flashed one of his famous smiles. "When was the last time you ate?"

"The pancakes you brought me."

Zack's face visibly dropped. "That was last week."

"Oh."

He couldn't believe how bad Genesis was. He suspected stuff but he never though it could be this bad.

"So hallucinations?" Zack asked after phoning the cafeteria.

Genesis glared at him. It was half arsed and really pathetic.

"Fine but we are so talking about it in the morning."

"Why are you acting mature?"Genesis inquired.

"I am mature I just choose to be really childish and hyper. More people smile and I'm so much more sexy this way." He winked.

"Girlfriend." Genesis stated hoping Zack remembered. He was too tired to form proper sentences.

"My lovely girlfriend gave me the go ahead to make sweet sweet love to Cloud." He grinned. He did spent the next twenty minutes explaining to her that he was no ever going to do that to her. Genesis gave an indescribable look. "Hey we will talk properly in the morning or afternoon depending when I wake up. You just need someone to give you a push here and there. I refuse to abandon you."

Genesis made a non committal noise.

Zack wondered if Aerith will ever hate him for phoning her up for her help.

He started to form a half arsed plan in his mind but he definitely decided he wasn't going to Angeal for help.

"Zack." He shot his head up. Genesis sounded so confused and lost. "Thank you."

"Your welcome."

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Even Cloud was forced to sit with other cadets and his idol gave a speech. He couldn't focus on what the sex personified was talking about so he tried to distract himself.

He was slightly thankful Zack and Genesis were standing very nearby. After the attack two weeks ago he had started clinging to them more. Zack had finally got permission for him to move in. Which slightly annoyed him at first but he started to enjoy it. Zack's rules were simple. If you break it you mend it. If you spill it you clean it. If Reno's near alcohol you stay to the other side of the room or you will end up in a chocobo suit being whored off. Everyone chips in for food.

It was a hell of a lot nicer than his last place.

Also Zack often sent him with food for Genesis. Whether it was made, brought or sent up by the cafeteria. When he asked Genesis the only answer he got was it was either this or Zack killed him. When he asked Zack he got the same answer. So he left it. He also found himself hanging around with Genesis a lot more outside of training. It was nice, the commander was nothing like the rumours. However he did blurt out 'You're so fucking hot.' two nights ago when Reno dragged everyone out for drinks. He was still waiting for a reply or death.

Everyone stood up and applauded so he did as well and sneaked out towards Genesis. The really sad thing was he had no idea who attacked him. Many of the cadets hated him for unknown reasons. It was dark and he was really disorientated and tired.

"Hey." Genesis greeted him.

He nodded and they left the stupidly large white washed hall. They headed back to Genesis office so they could do maths. Cloud hated maths and he still didn't know why they had to learn it.

"I'm sorry for my behaviour two days ago." He hung his head in shame. He kind of wished he ended up in a chocobo outfit instead of admitting what he thought about Genesis.

"What for calling me hot or sitting in my lap?"

He stood like a goldfish. How come he didn't remember sitting in Genesis lap. "How long for?" Did Reno have pictures? Of course he did. It is Reno.

"Most of the night after your eighth shot." He was sure he had heard some humour in Genesis voice.

He was horrified.

"I didn't mind however Seph might kill you."

"What why would the General kill me?" Cloud asked stressing out and looked around every corner. He was so dead.

Genesis shook his head and laughed. "He suspects I am cheating on him with someone. Mainly Zack."

Cloud's brain stopped dead. "Wait. How can you cheat on him unless..." He groaned. He really was dead.

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Zack sat outside Tseng's office. He'd been on a mission with Cissnei in Costa del Sol for the last three weeks and he had been going nuts. Reno who was second in command had no idea how to hack into Tseng's computer account. Reno was no help and Rude just left them to it.

It was so clean in the waiting room he was sure hospitals would kill to have their wards this clean. The colours were drab and he was really going to stab Reno soon if he didn't stop making faces at the secretary. Who was a blue eyed blonde girl applying for Turk training.

"So has Genesis gave you permission?" Reno asked after the immense wait.

He shook his head. Genesis didn't want to talk about anything. He only got how often he slept out of him yesterday and he found out hallucinations happened on a weekly if not daily basis.

This left him no where really. He felt bad for tricking Cloud to make sure he ate on a regular basis but the situation called for it. It was annoying how much like a war it was with Genesis.

"Zack." Zack stood up and smiled at Tseng. "What no salute?"

"Naw. I'm on more friendly terms." He hadn't met Tseng before and it surprised him how much like Sephiroth he was. Other than the fact his complexion was obviously Wutainese and his hair was black and a lot shorter from the back you wouldn't think twice about him being Seph. "Look I know I can't look through Genesis files but I need to know if there is any mission that might have caused him trauma involving, blood, bodies and him feeling useless."

"You have just described every mission SOLIDERs are sent on." Tseng stated coldly while gesturing him to follow into his office. "Not you Reno. I'm still annoyed at you."

"That was my fault." Zack apologised. He rolled his eyes when Reno flipped Tseng off. "I just couldn't wait for you to come back."

"I don't know whether to feel honoured or annoyed." The blank tone he used meant Zack couldn't decide either.

Something told Zack this was going to be painful.

The room looked no different than the waiting room except there was less chairs and more books and cabinets. It had the same horrible green carpets and white washed walls.

"Why haven't you asked Angeal?" Tseng asked not bothering to look at Zack and continued with paperwork.

"Because he betrayed my trust." Zack stated childishly.

"Yeah I wouldn't trust that hypocrite." Tseng almost smiled when Zack's face dropped.

"You know?" Zack asked. "What else do you know? Are you Gaia?"

That threw Tseng and he hid his mouth behind his hand.

"Ha I made you smile." Zack grinned. "Which reminds me Aerith says stop stalking her and she knows it's your job but it's starting to annoy her."

Tseng shook his head and tried to finish the work.

"There was a mission but it was back when Genesis was a third but the only people who know what happened properly are Genesis, Angeal and Sephiroth."

Zack nodded. He was so screwed if he wanted to find out.

"It's the only time Sephiroth failed to fill a mission report properly. Genesis was the only one to return from a sub group that had been captured."

"So no in other useful information?"

Tseng shook his head. "Information can only be released if all people participating are dead or have given full written confirmation of its release."

"That suck." Zack sighed. "Wanna come for a drink with us on Saturday? Aerith's coming."

* * *

><p>QE:Aw Zack you're so nice.<p>

Evestar:We would like to repeat the question from ealier again. Why is Aerith important?

QE:Also I am well aware Sephiroth is one of Hojo's experiments and he is sex on a stick. ^^


	4. Act 4

QE:Holy Crud. I've actually updated on time. XO

E.S.P:WOO. *Throws a party*

QE:Yeah. To everyone to is still reading this. Thanks.

E.S.P:Also Kellie we want to send you thanks personally but have been unable to.

QE:I own nothing and hate the first part of this chapter. It makes me feel guilty.

Evestar:She also has continued the story as she hasn't got writer's block anymore.

QE: :D

* * *

><p>The pain was so intense Genesis couldn't focus on the digital screen in front of him. It felt as if he's back was trying to tear itself away and out. His chest was tightening itself and making it hard to breathe. Sweat rolled down his brow and he lent back in his office chair and tried to not focus on anything. He wanted to know why he couldn't have just one day of peace.<p>

A buzzing noise over took him and he flinched.

His back felt as if it was suddenly on fire and he gripped it. His gloveless hand felt slick and damp. Blood dripped off his fingertips. Confused he pulled his turtleneck off and tried to see. It burnt and screamed at him as he tried to look around.

He was surprisingly calm about it even thought his entire body wanted to rip itself to pieces.

Unable to see what was going on he headed towards his private bathroom, only of his legs to go weak and he face planted the floor. He cried out in pain. It had never been this bad before. He wanted it to stop. He wanted to be normal.

The pain pulled him in a pitch black world where even there he was in agony.

1-2-3-4-:( I feel like a horrible author. Please forgive me Gen :(-5-6-7-8-9

Cloud half skipped to his session with Genesis. He found a materia on his last mission with Reno and some other Cadets and wanted to ask him what it was. Reno had decided to be an arse about it and he wanted a second opinion. Even if it was useless it was really pretty. The light kept catching it and blues dance around and it looked like light was playing with it. What did Reno say? Simple things please simple minds. He smiled at least he wasn't moaning about boredom on the way back. Reno had been unusually nice to him and even stuck up for him when the other cadets started. Although the threat didn't involve putting himself in harm's way, it went more along the 'do you really want to hurt Genesis' bitch?' but it was the input that counted.

He swiped his own copy of the keycard and walked in. The lights were on but no one was in. It was weird because Genesis only ever turned the lights on if he was in as he was really anal about it. Plus his jacket was hung up by the door and Genesis when no where without it. Cloud decided on he was in the bathroom and dropped his stuff down on the floor before he sat on the sofa. He'd go and see Zack later who would then decide to drag him for a piss up later. What was it with SOLIDERs and Turks drinking? It wasn't that it was easy for a SOLIDER to get drunk. In fact it was really hard.

Soft whimpering caught his ears and he looked around. His first thought was there was a ghost in the room but after Genesis yelling at him about being an idiot he gave up that trail of thought. He so didn't want to get yelled at again. The blond stood up and looked around Genesis desk and about fell backwards.

Blood was oozing out of the body on the floors back. It had to be Genesis no one else had hair like that.

He ran around and dropped down next to him. It looked like something huge and black had literally ripped itself from his back and blood ran freely. It stank and Cloud did everything in his power not to vomit. He stubbornly stayed strong and systematically went through the first aid training. Nervous hands ran over Genesis' face and repeated his name over and over again. There was no response. He grabbed the glasses on the table and held the lenses in front of Genesis' face in hopes he was still breathing. The mist forming on the glass gave him hope. He ripped off his glove and checked for a pulse. It seemed weak but it didn't feel dangerously slow. He was sprawled out over the floor and Cloud couldn't move him into the recovery position, he wasn't strong enough. The one thing he had been ignoring laid matted and bloody out next to Genesis. From all he could tell it looked like a wing and was directly attached to Genesis.

He started to freak out but dragged himself to the bathroom to get a bucket, which he still didn't know why it was there, and warm water and a towel. He needed to check the wounds.

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Zack glared at both Angeal and Sephiroth. Both of them were giving him the run around. It sucked he had to corner them in Sephiorth's precious office with ceramic everything and the latest editions of books.

"If you tell Genesis I will get you kicked out of the program." Sephiroth threatened.

"That's abuse of power sir." Zack hissed. He was beyond pissed. He noticed Angeal was trying to hide in the wall and refused to take part. He didn't know whether to feel thankful he only had to take Sephiroth on or annoyed Angeal was being a coward. "He deserves to know."

"He's happy this way." Sephiroth challenged him but Zack didn't care. They didn't know how much it was hurting Gen and they weren't going to find out now. "It's this or I hurt him even worse."

"What can be worse than betraying his trust and ignoring him when he needs you the most?" Zack felt like he was ready to storm out or punch Sephiroth. It depended on which came first. Most likely punching Sephiroth and being kicked out of the SOLIDER program.

"Our relationship isn't moving. It's split up with Genesis and destroy him emotionally or sleep with someone else." Sephiroth stated as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

Zack really wished the table wasn't in the way. "Fine. If you're going to be a fucking moron about it." Angeal was going to tell him off but stopped himself. "I'll tell Lazard about what you just said. I'm sure he'd like to hear the whole story. I'm sure he'd want to do another seminar about sexual relationships and abuse of power again. You know how he loves them." Zack replied sarcastically. The last person, who wasn't even a SOLIDER, that resulted in him doing that was later found tied to a lamp post in his underwear. Man Zack missed Rod.

Sephiroth glared at him.

Zack glared back. He just wanted to go see Aerith and possible set fire to Reno. The basterd won't give him the pictures of Cloud on Genesis. Instead he had to deal with his superior's love life and Genesis mental health.

He lowered his voice and turned away. "Some boyfriend you are. Genesis is suffering from a mental breakdown and it's only me and Cloud holding him together."

Zack walked away.

When he got to his joint office he's PHS went off. He frowned when he saw Cloud's name. He should be on a mission.

"Zack what do you meant Genesis is having a mental breakdown?" He ignored Angeal and turned his attention to the panicking Cloud.

"Zack help please. I'm only a kid. What the fuck do I do?" Cloud stated panicking.

"What's up?" Zack asked. He just didn't want Angeal to know. He turned his back on his friend ages ago he no longer had the right to know.

"There's blood everywhere and Genesis is unconscious and what do I do?" Cloud's voice was breaking.

It was breaking Zack's heart. He prayed Cloud would understand. "Ok. I understand. Keep an eye on him. Enjoy yourself. I'm sure the chocobos will be happy to have you looking after them." He had no idea if it sounded good but he prayed Cloud would get it.

"Ok. I think I understand." Cloud sounded slightly confused. "You either have Commander Hewley or the General with you."

"Yeah. That sounds good. See you later."

"Thank you." Cloud stated slightly happier and ended the call.

Zack nodded and glared at Angeal. "What?"

"We need to talk." Angeal stated. "I want to make amends. No I need to."

Zack shook his head. "That boat sailed a long time ago." He walked off again. He was sick and tired of dealing with everyone's problems.

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Genesis' eyes fluttered open and he was greeted by a killer headache. Thankfully his back stopped hurting.

"Please don't move." He glared at Cloud who was panicking. Why was this kid always scared? Didn't he know if he couldn't stand up for himself he was doomed? "Please don't freak out."

He had no idea what the kid was on about but nodded anyway. He noted the bloody towel in Cloud's hand but didn't say anything about it. The kid would start apologising for using it.

"Please do as I say." He nodded. He just wanted Cloud to get on with it so he could take a pain killer and start training. "Close your eyes." He did. Something touched him and pulled him on to his lap and started to move in small circles. It didn't feel as if it was on his person but to his left slightly. The circles got closer to his back and he unconsciously started cooing. His eyes snapped open and he could see a large black wing lay out over Cloud's lap. He thought about it moving and it did. Like it was just an arm or something. He screamed and Cloud shoved his hands over his mouth to shut him up. "You promised."

"Fuck." He jumped up and tried to get away from it. He only stopped when Cloud started to laugh. It caught him off guard like a bell keeping away bad spirits.

"Sorry you just look so stupid I couldn't stop myself." The blond hung his head but didn't stop smiling. "I think it's beautiful. Like you have an angel's wing. Your gift from the goddess."

Genesis blinked and wondered how this child got into Shinra. "You're kidding right. It's a monsters wing." He dug his fingers into the base of the wing in hopes of ripping it off. "It's ugly and useless and pointless." He didn't even stop the tears rolling down his face.

"I've sent two hours sitting by your side. All this time I tried to work out why you. Why now." Cloud bit back, he was beyond tired and was surprisingly scary and Genesis had no sudden desire to argue back. "So before you have a spaz and start fira me. Just know Zack's turning up soon he's just ditching Angeal or Sephiroth." Cloud glared. "I'm wet, sore, tired, spent three hours in a confined space with guys that hate me and Reno and I just wanted to know what this fricking materia is."

Genesis started to laugh and Cloud some followed they were both so hopeless. "Why?" Genesis asked.

"You were hurting and I wanted to help. That's what friends do right?" Cloud asked sounding lonely about it. Genesis knew Cloud never had many people to rely on growing up.

"Why waste time on me?" From the depths of his mind a voice that sounded just like he's father called him a monster.

Cloud got up and hugged him. He said the opposite of everything he had ever been told growing up. "You are beautiful and kind. You are powerful and gentle. You are perfect and fun to be around." Tears flowed down the exhausted blond's face. "You never gave up hope on a hopeless case like me. I refuse to give up hope for you."

Something flashed. They both glared at the black haired porcupine in the door way. Neither of them had heard the door open.

"Aren't you two adorable?" He grinned then his face changed to show slight awe. "Since when did you have a wing?" He walked forward and tried to touch it. Whenever his fingers got close enough to just barely touch it, it would twitch to get away.

"I so hope I can inflict pain with it on you Zack." Genesis growled.

"But it's gorgeous. Why can't I have a wing like it?" Zack asked childlike.

"I have a wing and you both think it's the best thing since sliced bread. What the hell it wrong with you two?" He growled but there was no serious threat in.

"You seem better." Zack nodded.

He didn't realised he was no longer any physical pain other than soreness and stiffness. He just nodded. However he didn't get his hopes up. He could turn at any moment still.

Something slumped against him. He looked at Cloud then sighed and moved him onto the sofa. He didn't blame the kid. He did seem drained. This must had been the final straw to pull his grips from reality and into the dream world. He hoped it was kinder to Cloud than him.

He just looked sadly at the abomination sticking out of his back.

"Can I touch it?" Zack inquired. He nodded and Zack started to stroke the feathers. He tried to not coo but he was failing the closer Zack got to his body. Zack grinned like a madman.

He tugged his wing out of Zack's hand and walked off. "We need to work out how to hide it. I refuse to let Hollander have his way with it."

Zack nodded.

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9

Genesis apartment, however he often stayed at Sephiroth's, was tidy and looked as if it was out of one of the home magazines. It was less like a home than his apartment. However the two members of SOLIDER were cowarding into Genesis' beige couch because a cadet had lost his temper with them.

"And the worst of it was if I knew, I might have been more help." He huffed and unclenched his hand. He had accidently drew blood on his palms. "But no you both decide it's better to not include me. Not like I had to cope with my mum's depression or anything."

They both hung their heads.

"Was it because I'm small and weak looking or because you to really didn't think I could help?" Cloud asked after calming down a bit. He was still pissed off but he felt better for venting.

"You had way to much stuff going on already." Zack finally stated.

Cloud felt like an ass.

"I just didn't trust you." Genesis said getting up. He was struggling a bit with his new appendage.

"Love you to." Cloud whispered but it didn't go unheard and Genesis flipping him off.

"Who wants tea?" Genesis asked walking off. He didn't want to be in the room before he actually stabbed Cloud. He refused to let anyone under him talk down to him but if he actually stabbed Cloud Zack will kill him.

He lent against the kitchen wall and listened to Zack and Cloud talk about absolute rubbish. He wanted to know why it felt so familiar. He could never do this with either Sephiroth or Angeal. It was something about those two that made him feel...safe. As stupid and sad as it sounded it was still right. The kettle let itself known and hot water was poured into cups. He never did get an answer from those two so they were getting some whether they liked it or not.

"Hey Gen. Cloud has brought up a good point." Zack sated from his doorway. He was leaning against the side watching him for any signs of a breakdown. "If Cloudy stayed here with you then someone would always be on hand in case you need help." He locked eyes with Genesis. "You're often at Seph's." He voice couldn't contain the hatred he felt for that man. "Cloud hates being at my place because everyone crashes there and he's never alone."

"And if I have another session Cloud has a better idea what to do." Genesis said nodding. He found that idea appeasing. The only concern he had was what if he ended up hurting Cloud. What if he didn't know Cloud was real but another hallucination.

"We could always arm him with materia in case the worse happens." Zack obviously had the same concerns.

"Do you think I should stay here?" Genesis felt unsecure. He hated that feeling but there was nothing he could do about it.

"I don't think you should ever go back." Was Zack's only answer.


	5. Act 5

QE:Yo.

E.S.P:She's making no apologizes.

QE:Nope but you can have a warning instead. There is rape in this chapter.

Evestar:Due to someone's inability to write sex scene...

QE: :P

Evestar:...It's not graphic.

QE:Thank you to the lovely people who reviewed. You keep making me smile.

E.S.P:Someone is also being paranoid about mistakes.

QE:Any help would be good. PS I realise alcohol seems to be mentioned a lot in this. I blame it on the fact I've only recently became a student and everyone keeps dragging me out to drink.

Evestar:She owns nothing and if she the study group and red leather would all try to kill her.

QE:I just rub people the wrong way. A lot.

* * *

><p>Alcohol and Cloud really didn't mix. He was currently sprawled across Genesis' chest with all his clothes in a mess and his head against the older male's neck. Every so often he would start giggling and Genesis would swat him like an annoying bug. Considering the commander wasn't drunk and only had a single pint, he wasn't removing Cloud or telling him off. One of his hands ran circles around the small of Cloud's back under his borrowed from Genesis' own wardrobe white shirt. He didn't realise he still had a lot of his clothes he first came with so they had spent the afternoon ransacking his room. A lot of it ended up in Cloud's room because it was easier and safer than letting the fan clubs any chance of being near it and it saved Cloud buying clothes when they were good as new.<p>

They ended up in Genesis'...their place because it was closer than the office and both of them had forgotten the office keycard. The once perfect apartment had been broken and turned into a home. Pictures were introduced. Coats were currently screwed up on the floor but that had more to do with them being tired and Cloud being drunk than anything else. There was also colour in the once monotone place. Saucepans and pots were being soaked by the sink in the kitchen. Text books and fiction other than LOVELESS had started to take over the place. Recently abandoned cups of tea and glasses of water lay on the coffee table next to them.

Something bit the side of his neck and he growled like a cat at the annoying vampire on his neck. "Are you trying to give me a hickey?"

The smaller body shifted so he could look Genesis in the eye. "No." He sounded like a child who had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"You do know we have training first thing in the morning?" A small laugh escaped Genesis' lips as Cloud's face dropped. "Sucks to be you."

He had never been dragged to a successful mission party before especially his own party. Saying that Zack and a couple of the Turks didn't really need an excuse to be drunk but he supposed one was nice. It kind of hurt to see Angeal there. He had forgotten how lonely it had been when his friend stopped being there for him. There was an awkward conversation between them as Angeal tried to guess what was wrong with him. Zack had already told him about his outburst so he just ignored it and continued like nothing had happened, like he was perfectly fine and he had had a lot of practice with that. Zack had vanished half way through the night with a brown haired girl in a blue dress and pink bow. She had looked at him with knowing blue eyes and told him that the goddess was going to smile on him because he had shed no blood in her name. To be honest that freaked him out a lot.

Sephiroth wasn't there. That had hurt a lot and he never expected that. He was so used to him not being there and the realisation that Sephiroth was probably never going to be there almost broke him.

"Gen." Cloud asked quietly. Ocean blue eyes locked onto sky blue eyes. "Why do you hate people touching you?"

"You're on me right now." The auburn haired male pointed out he was going to try and avoid this conversation to the best of his abilities.

"When people were giving you hugs or handshakes you flinched like you expecting worse." Cloud sounded kind of hurt. He didn't know why Cloud would be hurt but he didn't want him to be.

"I always think I have done something bad and my Father was a firm believer in corporal punishment." He hoped Cloud didn't realise he pulled his legs tighter together. Some memories were best left untouched. "It's a habit I'm not fond of."

Cloud nodded but he never looked away. "You shouldn't let him control your life."

Genesis ran his hand across Cloud's cheek and said as kindly as possible. "Shut up." Cloud closed his eyes and lent into the touch. Weeks ago Cloud would have jumped up apologised and promptly fell over.

"_There is no hate, only joy/ For you are beloved by the goddess._"Cloud half laughed as he recited the poem. He stopped when he realised Genesis was still staring at him. "Erm Gen?"

Genesis did something he hadn't done in ages. He willing kissed someone. As they both kissed each other really badly, they realised what they were doing and split apart.

"I'm going to make fresh cups." Cloud pointed at the half drank frozen cold cups. He made a point to look Genesis in the eyes.

The auburn haired male nodded. "I suppose we have to talk about what just happened." He called into the kitchen. He hoped Cloud wouldn't tell Zack. Either he was all for it and push them into a relationship or he would be anti relationship and he lost two friends he really trusted.

Cloud walked back in and started to straighten his shirt. "I'm drunk, you're mentally unstable." Genesis stuck his tongue out at Cloud. "I think this is a morning talk."

They both knew it was going to be a long wait until morning.

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The morning talk never came. Instead Genesis had been called early to do a follow up mission. Something somewhere had gone wrong and he needed to clean it up. After working out he can summon his wing and dissipate it whenever he wanted it meant he no longer worried about not being able to wear his favourite red leather coat again. It also stopped Zack trying to kill him by binding the wing to his back, which hurt and was uncomfortable.

"Morning Slick." The commander nodded to the red head in a scruffy blue suit. Standing next to him was a taller dark skinned guy also in a blue suit.

"How are you still conscious after all that alcohol last night?" The auburn haired male asked but he didn't really care. He spent most of last night making sure he didn't convince Cloud to do something completely stupid again.

"I was alright until I found out the General was involved as well." That made Genesis stop.

"You had no idea?" Reno's companion asked.

Genesis shook his head. He hadn't seen Sephiroth for Gaia knows how long.

What was he supposed to do?

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"I'm sure that's not how the song goes." Cloud called out running after Zack across the green grassy hills.

Zack had dragged him it to a simulation because Genesis had vanished that morning. It had been pointed out to him that Genesis had other commitments but it still annoyed him when they happened.

The black haired male shrugged. "Who cares? We need to find the Dinornis before someone tells me off for dragging you in here."

Cloud sighed and adjusted the sword strapped to his back. "What does it look like again?"

Zack turned around and grinned. "Like a giant fluffy chocobo but more earthy colours. Or you could just turn around."

Something dangerous cooed behind him and he really didn't want to turn around.

"Pretend to be a chocobo." Zack still looked like a moron grinning. "I'll go around and attack it." Before Cloud could say anything the thing started to nuzzle its head affectionately. He hated Zack more than ever before. Why did all bird like creatures like him? He tried not to scream and stab it as it groomed him.

The screaming of the bird indicated Zack had done something.

"Ok all done." Zack patted him loud on the back as the digital world started to break down to show a sterile steel room. Sometimes Zack forgot he was a hell of a lot stronger then Cloud.

"That was deliberate." Cloud growled menacingly.

"You spend way too much time around Gen." Zack smirked while grabbing his arm and heading out. "Speaking of which they should be back later."

"I need your opinion on something." Cloud sighed and sounded really down.

"Fire away." Zack bounced while they entered the locker room.

"Is it possible to be in a..." He had no idea how to word it. He didn't even know what happened last night.

Zack watched him worriedly. It scared Cloud because he wasn't doing something. He was absolutely still. "What happened?" The tone Zack used made him want to cry.

"We kissed." The blond hung his head in shame and pulled his green scarf further around his face. This wasn't something he really wanted to talk about except with Genesis. "We were going to talk about it but you know."

Zack nodded slowly.

"I can't lose him but I don't know. I don't think..." He couldn't stop the tears from falling. Zack closed the space quickly and for once Cloud didn't care he couldn't breathe in his bear hug.

"I so want to tell you want to do but I can't. You're just going to have to wait." Zack sounded really down.

Something shot in pain in Cloud's abdomen. "Stomach." he breathed out but only just.

Thankfully Zack's mako hearing picked it up and he loosened his grip but refused to let go.

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The last twelve hours were hell for Genesis. He couldn't focus on what he was doing and he couldn't tell Sephiroth why when he was asked. How could he tell him that all that was on his mind was Cloud? There was no way the Cadet was anywhere near being able to stand up against the General if he decided to explode.

He had managed to blow Sephiroth off for long enough to head back to his place. There was no clue where either Zack or Cloud would be so he prayed Cloud was studying in his...their place. If not he was kind of screwed.

When he opened the door a wall of home cooked food smell hit him. It was warm and welcoming and he started to worry. Cloud only cooked when he was stressed. There was still a fridge load of cookies at Zack's place.

He quietly closed the door and walked over to the kitchen. Familiar blond hair was bobbing up and down behind the kitchen island. Cloud always refused to wear an apron especially the frilly pink one Zack got him. He couldn't help but worry that he might get burnt.

"Hey." He said quietly.

The blond's head whipped around and blue eyes focused on him. "Hi." He indicated to the pots and pans on the hob. "I thought I'd give it a shot. Reno messaged me when you were on your way back."

He nodded but he had no idea what Cloud was on about.

"Is there anything in a Sunday roast you don't like? Other than meat." Cloud asked.

"You should be a Turk." The response got a smile out of Cloud. He felt slightly better but it still worried him Cloud found out about one of his most guarded secret.

"I take that as a no." The smile never left Cloud's lips and Genesis couldn't stop himself. He lent forwards and closed the gap and shut his eyes.

It was shorter than the other one. He nodded to himself it confirmed something. Something slightly bad and he was probably going to end up in the infirmary again. He no longer had any feeling for Sephiroth. Whether it meant he had feelings for Cloud he didn't know but he could move on now. He had no idea how Sephiroth was going to take it but he was sure it wasn't going to be pleasant.

He opened his eyes and saw Cloud look at him like a goldfish. He smiled and tapped Cloud's mouth shut. "You're not a Venus Flytrap."

Cloud shook his head and continued working.

"I'm going to break up with Sephiroth. If I'm not back in an hour send Zack and Angeal."

Cloud was going to argue but Genesis sounded so much lighter saying that. "Hurry back. It's going to take ten minutes at least."

"Thank you." The sincerity in his voice made Cloud stop again but the pyro had left the room like a flame going out just with less smoke.

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"Hey Geal." Zack yelled out glomping his mentor. It had been so long Angeal flung him to the floor out of instinct. "I gave you warning." Zack pouted like a puppy.

"Long time no see." Angeal stated in slight shock. He had no idea what had caused this 180 in personality.

Zack handed him his PHS. _Gen's gone to break up with Seph. Tell Angeal. Also cooking Sunday roast do you want leftovers? Thanks Cloud. P.S. I've been told to contact you if he isn't back in an hour so far ten minutes._

Angeal looked between the piece of plastic and Zack. "What brought this on?" Zack shrugged but he knew he was hiding something and he knew Zack knew he knew. He just hoped it didn't end up in one of those annoying war with too many knows in it.

"He's still going to mentor Cloud." Zack smiled.

"We have training." Angeal stated. He was still miffed as to why Zack was still on the floor.

"I just have one question." He waited patiently for Angeal to respond.

"What?"

"What's up with Genesis' parents? What I can gather they weren't that nice to him." Zack asked concerned.

"Genesis was a stubborn kid. They tried their best to raise him but he was never happy and that tore them apart. He was more than happy to come here." Something told Angeal that nothing he said satisfied Zack at all.

"Kay." Puppy jumped up from the floor. "Let's go."

Angeal sighed something in Puppy's demeanour told him he still had something to ask.

"What Zack?"

Zack looked at him and shook his head. "It doesn't matter. If I don't like the answer my good mood is going to vanish."

"I have to ask this because I don't want to lose you again." Angeal sighed patting the black spikes. "If me and Seph do end up in a relationship would you hate me?"

Zack shook his head. "You wouldn't be hurting anyone. Even if they did know." Angeal gave Zack a really funny look. "When I caught you two...you know...I went and ranted at Genesis and he told me that he has always known and I didn't tell him and I had his permission to blackmail you with it." Zack grinned. He wished he had his camera to take a picture of the look on Angeal's face.

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He knew Sephiroth was inside and he knew it was going to hurt.

What he didn't know was how badly he was going to take it.

He could feel the cat eyes focus on him when he entered the room. He didn't turn to face him. He determined where all sharp pointy objects were. Masamune was on the other side of the room with him in between the sword and the wielder. However Sephiroth was quite close to the kitchen and that was where all the sharp knifes lived.

There was no way he could say anything without it sounding to horrible.

"I'm fed up of this play." Sephiroth gave him a confused look from his arm chair from over the top of one of his many magazines. "I don't want to be in this role anymore." Why couldn't he just tell him? Maybe because he really didn't want to be in pain. Maybe if he makes it as obscure as possible it wouldn't be totally real. "I want the curtain to fall."

"Isn't it bad enough that you made me watch it, now you mock me with it." Sephiroth asked before returning his attention to the magazine.

Genesis shook his head and barely controlled the anger in his chest. He was mocking him. "It's over." That caused the silverette to look up. "I'm fed up. I just don't want to do this anymore. If you think it's a joke it proves my case."

He always forgot how fast the other could move and before he could escape out the door the silverette pinned him up against the door. Both his arms were held above his head with one slender hand and the other hand right next to his face. "What? Why?" The hand started to caress his face. The gap between their lips as just mere millimetres.

Genesis just glared at him and started to struggle and get out and away. He didn't want to be here anymore. He wanted out.

"Why GenGen?" Sephiroth asked.

"Get off me." The growl escaped his lips. The auburn haired male started to kick and thrash. "Don't play innocent with me. You know as well as me what you do behind my back."

Sephiroth shook his head. "I don't know what you are on about." The younger male stepped forward so their chests were pushed together and removing all gaps. This stopped Genesis from struggling but it didn't stop him from growling.

"I know about you and Angeal."

Sephiroth growled something that sounded like Zack.

"No. I knew all along and I stupid to think this was normal." Genesis looked away so Sephiroth couldn't kiss him on the lips.

Hot breath ran down his neck followed by a cold nose. Small kisses were placed on his neck then slowly moved up to his cheek.

Genesis started to fidget and twist and turn. He didn't want to continue. "Stop." Tears rolled his cheeks. "I said no." He pushed against the bonds like a helpless animal in a cage knowing it was hopeless. He just went limp and gave up.

When he came back to reality he was against the floor with a curtain of silver blocking his view of the world. His hands were free but flailed uselessly by his side. He tried to push the body away but it was too stubborn. He had no idea how he ended up here or where most of his clothes were and to be honest he wanted to be away from here. This was too much.

The knock on the door was the distraction he needed to push him off and pull his trousers up and grab his jacket before storming out the door. He vaguely heard someone shout his name but he wanted away. He didn't want Sephiroth to have the satisfaction of him breaking down then and there. He didn't know what he wanted but he ended up in his office and hid in the bathroom like a child against the door. Everything just hurt. He could barely keep his wing hidden but all he wanted to do was curl up with it blocking the world out.

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Zack spend down the halls after seeing Genesis walk out of the apartment. The red head looked just like back as when he found him with Cloud. It worried him because he had no idea what might happen. Angeal called after him but his legs just led him forwards. It surprised him how fast Genesis could run. This was the guy who had to be dragged away from fights. Who refused to run from a battle.

He reached Genesis office before pushing the door open he sent a quick message to Cloud. There was no way he was going to face Genesis on his own. He tried to determine what happened and the only idea didn't inspire him with confidence.

The office was empty but he was sure he seen Genesis run in here. "Gen?"

The side door shuddered a bit.

Zack sighed and walked over. He sat with his back to the door and knocked. "Hey. Cloud's on his way." He didn't know what to do so he kept talking. "He's such a mother chocobo. I think he's bringing the entire meal with him here. Hey at least you could use your Fira to reheat the meal." He laughed at his feeble attempt at a joke. "Cloud told me about last night." He smiled a little bit when he heard a small groan. "He was really confused and I think he was afraid you were going to leave him." Zack just listened to the other side of the door. "I don't want either of you two to get hurt anymore but if you're happy together so be it. If not don't push the relationship."

The door opened a crack and Zack looked at the one blue eye on show. He had been crying so Zack gave him a soft smile.

"Do you have a cure?" A quiet voice left the door.

Zack nodded and handed him a little glass ball. "You do know between you and Cloud I'm going to go grey early."

There was a small snort on the other side of the door.

"Gaia. Imagine me grey that would be awful. All my fangirls would just up a leave me." He half laughed.

Angeal chose that moment to walk through the office door. The older male shook his head. "How is he?"

Zack shrugged. He wasn't going to push it. "What's got into Seph's head?" Whatever it was he really didn't want to know.

"He didn't want Genesis to leave him." The hurt was unmistakable in Angeal's voice.

"And that would make him stay?" Zack couldn't help but get a little bit mad at him.

Cloud poked his head around the door and ignored the intense silence. "Does anyone know why Reno has a bra super glued to him or is it a normal occurrence?"

Zack smiled. "Cissnei probably got annoyed at him."

Cloud sighed and walked in. "I thought it might be something he need help with." He set a couple of bags on the office table. "Do you want food Gen?" Cloud called. He got a small confirmation noise.

Angeal was probably going to argue about how they were treating this situation but stopped himself. He knew he'd been out of Genesis life for a long time and things change.

* * *

><p>QE:Sometimes, I've learnt that, it's best to keep going and deal with it when you are calmer.<p>

Evestar:However most of the time its best to deal then and there.

QE:The apology is my friends here, I moved from home a couple of months ago, treated me like I was the joke and a third wheel. I wasn't impressed when I realised it. However unlike Genesis I stormed off and haven't spoken to them since. Not saying I haven't tried to mead 's going to take time. However on a positive...ish note. My Grandma should be turning up soon. :)


	6. Act 6

QE:Yo. Hows it going Slick?

E.S.P:We haven't died.

QE:Yet. But a hell load of viruses are trying to kill me.

Evestar:We been working it out and there may only be four chapters after this one.

E.S.P:She owns nothing.

Evestar:If she did it probably wouldn't be a major game as it is.

QE:Man I wish I owned PSP and had my crisis core game. (borrowed my Dad's to play on it.)

* * *

><p>Files of cream and off white littered the desk. Some had fallen onto the floor long ago but if anyone touched then the crazy pyro would attack them. Currently he was crashed out on top of the pile on his small desk in his room like a dragon on his horde. Maybe one day he would clean it properly but until that day the walls were littered with notes and string in order for him to answer the question that had always plagued him since he was young. The last act of LOVELESS. However that wasn't what the files were for. The files were for something else entirely. Something he was willing to keep from his oldest friend and his student but he was willing to tell Cloud if he cared. Cloud did care he just saw the world in a different colour and he didn't want to ruin Cloud's view of the world.<p>

One of his ungloved hands was brushing itself through his hair and the other arm was curled up underneath him as a makeshift pillow. Someone had draped a blanket over him and left a glass of water just out of reach. He was so happy sleeping like this. Unguarded and untroubled.

"JUST BECAUSE I KNOW HOW TO LOOK AFTER A HOME DOESN'T MAKE ME A GIRL!" Blue eyes flew open and he grabbed Rapier in order to take on whatever it was. "I AM NOT A GIRL!" Reality slowly caught up with him and he realised that it was Cloud. Yawning he brushed the sleep out of his eyes and looked at the clock. Five in the afternoon. He shook his head and headed into the main room to find out what Cloud was yelling about.

"The crazy is awake." A voice called out to his left. His eyes focused on three bodies on the sofa. One was rubbing his head because the older dark haired male had whacked him and the last one was an obnoxious red head. He couldn't remember why Zack, Angeal and Reno were here but by the looks of the table it was pre drinking going on.

"Zack you can't call people crazy." Angeal yelled. He started to go on about honour and dreams and Zack gave him a flat out 'really' look. It shut Angeal up.

"Do you mind being called crazy, slick?" Reno asked slightly slurring his words.

"DO YOU WANT ME TO COME UP THERE AND STRIP!" Cloud yelled from the kitchen.

"Cloud's talking to his mum." Zack interjected. "He thinks we can't hear him."

Reno held up the bottle of translucent blue liquid. "We're playing shots every time Cloud mentions gender." He then indicated to the three empty bottles.

"Fine." Genesis shook himself awake and went to make some tea. Cloud was already yelling so the kettle being on wouldn't hurt.

A furrowed brow was prominent on Cloud's forehead. "I don't want to come home." He sounded really down and waved when he noticed Genesis. "Have you been saving? I believe you mum I just don't want you to be there longer than you have to." He sighed while passing Genesis the milk. "It's just depressing going back. I swore I wouldn't until I'm a SOLIDER."

Genesis grabbed the phone quickly. "Stop making Cloud sad." He handed it back and went to the living room. He felt jealous Cloud could have that type of conversation with his mum. His' didn't even care he existed.

"So crazy any more delusions?" Zack asked.

He shook his head. "It's only a delusion if you don't know it's not real."

Both the red head and the puppy looked at him confused. He smirked, double negatives were always fun when Zack and Reno were drunk.

"Why are you three here anyway?" The auburn haired make asked still feeling half asleep.

"We were going to see a movie. Want to come?" Zack asked. "No idea what. Just turn up and go into the next movie."

Angeal just looked like he didn't want to be there.

"Sure I could use a good sleep."

"Good we also need to grab Aerith."

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He wanted to know why he ended up carrying Cloud. The poor cadet died half way through the horror film. It wasn't even any good but either way Cloud couldn't cope with it and spent the first half of the film with his nails digging into Genesis' not protected by leather arm. He knew he should have put on his red coat. Now he had to carry Cloud home. Zack or Reno could have done it. It was their idea out in the first place but no, they used Aerith as an excuse and ran off. Angeal was being a bit funny about it but chose to stand next to him in case Cloud fell off his back.

"If it makes you feel any better I'm not sleeping with Seph anymore." Angeal stated after a long silence.

"Not really. I'm still carrying Cloud." Genesis grunted shifting Cloud yet again so he didn't tumble.

Angeal rolled his eyes. "I'm going to keep talking anyway." Genesis nodded for him to continue. "I think I ruined friendships and loyalties because I deluded myself thinking I actually loved him." He stood to think about the best way to say what's next. "He never stopped loving you. He wanted to know why you never made noises like that when you were going out and to be honest it sickened me. He raped you and wondered why you ran off. I know he knows it's wrong."

Genesis grunted and tried to get his card key out, Angeal finally helped and held the apartment block door open.

"Do me a favour and never go out with him again. I think I'll kill myself or you."

Genesis nodded he kind of understood where Angeal was going with this. "I have no intentions." He decided it was best to release some information about himself to Angeal. He didn't know why. "I think he only turned to you for sex because I hate it. I can act and moan on cue but that's it. I don't get any pleasure from it."

Angeal dropped out of his line of sight as he stopped walking however Genesis was determined to drop Cloud on the sofa. If he abandoned him somewhere everyone will try and kill him. The weight on his shoulder just kept getting heavier and heavier and it was just so tempting.

Something on his back started to stir. "If you wake up you're walking." Genesis growled.

Arms around his neck tightened a bit and there was a small cute oh. "What did I miss?" Cloud asked he tried not to fall to the floor too quickly.

"The 'virgin' got ripped to shreds and they killed the monster with an explosion." Genesis commented. Instead of getting some sleep he had to put up with morons screaming at non scary bit. "Oh and Reno almost got us kicked out."

Cloud nodded. "Sorry I blacked out."

"Meh." Genesis shrugged. Angeal finally caught up when they reached the door. "Goodnight Geal." Genesis half threw Cloud into the apartment.

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The rustling of the leaves in the, overcrowded with plants, office incited peace and tranquillity until there was a yell before a crash at his door. "I'm ok." The hyper voice called. The older black haired male put his pen down and hid his face in his hands. He had given the nuisance on the other side the afternoon off so he could catch up on paperwork, he didn't know why he was back now.

A head poked around his door and violet eyes glowed with mischief. "Hey Angeal can I hide in here?"

"ZACKARY!"

Angeal jumped when he heard Genesis yell. He hadn't done that in a long time.

Zack swore before running off again.

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A small growl escaped Cloud's lips as he dropped the stupid wooden sword again. He couldn't remember why it was important or what it was called but it was driving him up the wall. How was he supposed to kill someone with a wooden blade? Unless Genesis wanted him to make the enemy laugh themselves to death. He was starting to get frustrated with the sword. After two hours of trying to get his kata perfect he had to mess up at stupid thing. If he moved his hand slightly the sword would drop or whack him in the hand or whatever flesh was nearest. "Stupid thing." He growled.

"Only because you're wielding it wrong." Cloud jumped and saluted Angeal standing by the door without whacking himself in the face with the wooden thing. "You can still kill someone with a Bokken." He still saluted Genesis and Zack much to their annoyance but only when they weren't being social and were actually working.

Cloud just looked away. He been at it for so long his patience had been worn thin.

"Here." Angeal shifted his grip and stance just a little bit. "Where's Genesis?"

Cloud sighed it was a lot easier to hold. "On a mission so I'm determined to do something usefully." He always felt like he had to explain himself.

"Same here." Angeal sighed. "You're short a teacher. I'm short of a student. We may as well train together." Angeal tried to explain really badly. Cloud knew there was another reason and he was clutching straws.

The blond shrugged. He really didn't care. All he wanted to do in this moment was to get the stupid kata right or he would kill something.

The next half an hour Angeal gently guided him in simple adjustments. It was those simple adjustments that made all the difference.

"Thanks." Cloud smiled weakly.

There was a huge silence between them. Like a huge canyon and Cloud knew exactly what Angeal wanted to ask. It was stuff like this that made Cloud wish he was home with his mum, so he set about tidying the training room up. The extra pair of hands made the work go quicker which Cloud was glad for but it meant he had to do maths homework and he still hated Genesis for that.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see Angeal desperately try and approach the subject. Cloud rolled his eyes and stretched. "I'm going to do homework. Is there anything you need?" He asked hoping he didn't ask that question.

"How is Genesis coping?"

That question right there. It annoyed Cloud but he nodded and smiled. "Considering he wasn't quite right in the first place he isn't that bad. Even if he is more jumpy and less likely to stay in his bed." Cloud didn't care how that sounded and waved bye. He often found Genesis asleep at his desk or on the sofa which he didn't mind and often left a blanket over him. That paperwork was calling him and he wanted to know where Genesis kept his fire or fira.

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The auburn haired male crashed out in his office chair and brushed his hair back with his fingers. He got back from his mission did a two hour debrief straight away, an hour lecture off Cloud for half his cuts which had healed by now and a half an hour rant form Zack about his mission. So all in all he hadn't had a bad day. Hallucinations had behaved themselves and he hadn't seen Sephiroth all day. Cloud was in the capable hands of Aerith thanks to Zackary who by the way he was still mad at for redecorating his room a pink colour. Now if his back could stop twitching and his wing stopped wanting to be let out today would be the best day to date. He closed his eyes and smiled. He refused to jinx today and say nothing could go wrong.

His door opened and he opened one eye to be greeted by his oldest friend looking slightly haggard. "Hey Geal."

"I'm going to ask you straight. How can I make up for my mistakes?" Angeal asked half exasperated.

Genesis blinked. He couldn't think of anything Angeal had done wrong and aired that view as well. He silently regretted it as Angeal looked at him completely hurt. "What do you want from me?" He asked being fully prepared to run if he had to. Nothing good could come out of this.

"I want you to shout, yell, set fire to me, do something." Angeal cried. "I've treated you horribly and used you. I've slept with your boyfriend, lied to your face Gaia knows how many times. I abandoned you, ignored you, left you in pain and I swore after that incident I would never ever do that again. Please do something other than lie down and take it."

Genesis hung his head. He didn't want to yell and set fire to Angeal. He only did that so cadet's left him alone which he was happy about. He had no idea what to say. In his mind even though he knew it was wronged he couldn't see at what point Angeal had done anything wrong. If anything Angeal should be mad at him because he failed at his duty of being a boyfriend to Sephiroth. He didn't save Angeal's honour when he could have. He couldn't understand why Angeal was being so persistent about it. The incident also had nothing to do with it; that was his own stupid fault. His own arrogates.

"Trust me. We are even." Genesis grabbed his coat and left. His brain just hurt.

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Cloud sadly had to admit he was dreaming he was sleeping on a giant pink marshmallow and was slowly eating his way through the really childish sugar and sweet land. With candy canes as street lamps and chocolate houses. When it snowed it snowed icing sugar crystals. It was childish but it made him feel happy. He knew not to walk into one of those houses as an evil witch lived there. Too many fairy tales had influenced this dream.

Screaming startled him out of his deep slumber. He was used to Genesis at night now and often comforted him but tonight it sounded different. More strangled. More immediate danger. What did Zack tell him contact him in case it's really bad. He didn't want to wake Zack up he'd been on a mission all day.

He got up and straightened his blue trousers and grabbed any top to hand and his PHS which was slipped into his back pocket before venturing to Genesis room. Whatever it was it couldn't be that hard to deal with.

Eyes were screwed shut and the body was fitting severely on top of the covers. A pillow was chucked at the blond's head but missed. The auburn haired male was so far trapped in his nightmare that nothing seemed real. His voice sounded so horsed and grated.

Cloud rushed over to wake Genesis. He should have known better when he felt weightless then a hard solid impact to his left side.

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Pounding footsteps resonated down the empty hallways which were then followed by a heavier pair. It was some stupid time in the morning but the younger one was freaking out. Cloud as a rule never asked for help. No matter what. There were expectations and they scared the younger male. Especially if the red commander was involved. He could do serious damage to Cloud without meaning to.

The surrealness of the situation didn't help Zack one bit. Cloud battered them both off with his right hand begging them to help Genesis who was trapped in some sort of disillusioned reality.

Whatever had snared Genesis in its net caused him to lash out at anything that touched him. Fear had etched itself as then body got ready for an all out fight. It took Angeal and Zack a lot of effort and taking really painful punches to hold him down. Angeal kept telling him it was over, he wasn't there anymore and he had to let it go it wasn't his fault.

Zack and Cloud left him to it. It hurt Cloud too much to move and Zack had to hold the auburn haired male steady.

Blue eyes fluttered open and were unable to focus on any of them.

"Hey." Zack smiled weakly, he was so tired.

"Zack?"

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and Zack turned to focus on Cloud. The blond had been sitting patiently on the floor waiting for it to blow over. Even if he was in a lot of pain. "Shit it's broken." Zack blinked when Cloud hissed as he checked it.

"Don't use Cure it won't heal properly, you need Cura or Curaga." Angeal stated wrapping Cloud's arm up like first aid stated. All of them were too tired to really take in what was going on except one of them who held his head low and refused to interact with anything and anyone. He felt too ashamed to do anything.


	7. Act 7

QE: I promise its not on hiatus. I just fell out of practice of writing because I ended up moving back home for a month. *sighs* I'm back on my own again.

Evestar:To Kellie. This chapter isn't going to be any different.

E.S.P:Someone's will leave teh recipe for Mug Brownies at the end as an apology.

QE:Yeah. Also this is the chapter Aerith is properly introduced. ^^

Evestar:Someone owns the characters and places. We don't.

* * *

><p>Screams of frustration rang through the disused church as the chocobo chased after the puppy. Green eyes watched the scene in humour all the while keeping an eye on the bandaged arm of the chocobo he was getting it off in a couple of days time and didn't need to break it again, what a miracle materia was. The puppy jumped expertly over the disused wooden pews and swerved to avoid the flowers. However the chocobo wasn't so lucky and ended up eating said flowers.<p>

"Zack." She called out mock telling him off before she started to giggle. Cloud looked so cute with flower petals trapped in his spiky hair.

The blond just huffed and sat down next to the flowers.

She knew Zack had to ask her for her advice again and she knew how much he hated it. She didn't mind it made a change from her asking other people. It scared her as to why she knew stuff that she had never even faced before but it was to help Zack so she didn't mind.

She straightened her blue dress and sighed in contentment. She had a horrible feeling these days were going to be few and far between.

"Cloud?" She asked. Blue eyes focused intensely on her. "Do you like fighting?" Zack gave her a confused look. She didn't blame him after their own conversation about SOILDER and his eyes being like the sky and not so scary, anything she asked about SOLIDER only added to his confusion.

"No..." Cloud admitted. "But I want to be able to protect the ones I love." He said with a final nod. "I hate not being able to."

"I know the feeling." She sighed looking Zack in the eyes. "But sometimes you just have to let them get on with it."

Cloud looked away and she was thankful for it. She had a small feeling her and Zack were going to have a moment.

"I'm going to go and do something like gut a cat." Cloud stated knowing full well neither of them was totally paying attention.

"Just make sure it's dead." Aerith called out and smiled at Zack. She played with her favourite possession in her hair. The pink bow helped her many nights from stressing out about him. She would never tell him the secret she had managed to hide within it.

"Are you wearing a pink bra?" Zack asked slightly perverted. Cloud high tailed it out of there.

"Yeah. Why do you want to see it?"

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A sword clattered across the sterile floor as Genesis managed to disarm Angeal. "Look alive." He joked only to receive a glare off the dark haired male.

"Shut up." Angeal moaned while rotated his right shoulder.

"You ok?" Genesis asked. He lowered Rapier and pointed it to the floor.

Angeal nodded and picked up the standard issue sword and repositioned himself. His right arm didn't seem to be able to take the weight of the sword.

"NO. What's wrong?" Genesis growled. "And if you say nothing I will stab you." He raised Rapier to prove a point.

The darker haired male obviously thought he was scary enough to admit what was wrong with him. "For some reason my shoulder is killing me. It's not bad enough to see Hollander."

"Do you want me to have a look?" The auburn haired male asked. He was slightly worried. What if it was the worst thing possible and it was all Hollander's fault.

Black locks shook from side to side along with the head. "I'm ok." He lunched forwards to take out Genesis.

The body moved side wards and stuck out his leg. There was a loud thump on the floor. "What if you are degrading?" Genesis asked sounding down.

"If I'm what?" Angeal asked from the floor.

"Degrading. Dying." Genesis stated simply. He was going to have to tell him. It was going to kill both of them. He needed to know but it just hurt to think about it. He turned away unable to look his friend in his eyes.

"Why would you go to that conclusion?" Angeal asked concerned he stood up and stretched trying not to inflict more pain on himself. "Unless..."

Genesis could feel those eyes bore into the back of his head. He dared not turn around in case he broke down. "Yes."

"How long?"

"I dunno."

Silence hung between them like a huge crypt. It applied pressure to both of them.

"Does anyone else know?"

"Hollander and Lazard."

There was a huge gap between the two of them that was just getting bigger by the second.

"Why?"

The auburn haired male shrugged and walked towards the door. "Keep close to friends new and old. For one is silver and the other is gold~"

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Zack watched Angeal and Genesis very carefully. Something was up between them and he was determined to find out what. They still talked and behaved just the same except for some reason Angeal was clinging to Genesis like at any moment he was going to collapse on him and die.

It was very strange. Even Cloud had started picking up on it. This led both of them trailing the other two through the corridors. He hated Turk work but they were his friends and he needed to find out. Genesis was a bitch to get stuff from in the first place and he really didn't need Angeal doing it as well.

He signalled to Cloud to move forwards and meet him around the corner. The two firsts were standing outside Genesis office.

"Come out you two." Angeal called out. "You're both useless at trailing."

Genesis snorted in laugher.

They both stood next to each other and hung their heads in shame. All Zack could think of at least they hadn't caught them hugging in a special way. Like when he walked in on Angeal and Sephiroth. "Sorry." They both mumbled.

"Come on in." They all walked into Genesis' office after Angeal. "You two need to work on stealth."

Genesis walked in after them smiling and shaking his head. "Honestly I thought we taught you two better."

"I want both of you two give us twenty push ups." The black haired male stated not impressed. "Then you two might learn. And you stop encouraging them." Angeal stated looking at Genesis.

Both of them looked at Angeal in disbelief and then at Genesis. Yep they were being absolutely serious.

Groaning in frustration they both got on the floor.

Cloud glared at Zack. It was his fault. Always his fault.

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Pots boiled over in the once pristine kitchen as the dark haired male ran round yelping. How was he supposed to make a cake if everything boiled over or was burnt? Flour was still hanging in the air and broken eggs lay over the floor. Half the contents of the fridge were currently spilled across or along the surfaces.

"Zack?" The blond asked poking his head around the door. "What the heck are you doing?"

"Making a cake." Zack grinned holding up a pan.

Cloud sighed. Sometimes there was no point trying to tell Zack he was doing it wrong. "Want help?" If anything went wrong he could blame it on Zack later. "Why are you using Angeal's kitchen anyway?"

"Gen let me in." The puppy grinned jumping up and down. "I assume he did the same."

Cloud shook his head. "Angeal sent me to find you after you vanished. You were supposed to go to training two hours ago."

Zack hung his head. "I am trying to make Aerith a birthday cake so I probably forgot."

There was no probably about it. Cloud sighed and grabbed a mixing bowl. "Do you even know how to make a cake?"

Zack shook his head.

"Let's start from the beginning."

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Desperate situation give rise to new abilities. For example Angeal will get really pissed off if you completely trash his kitchen, accomplice or not, so Zack quickly learnt how to distort the trust, blame someone else and run. Unfortunately for Cloud.

"Sorry." Zack whispered.

They were being treated like kids in Genesis apartment while Angeal blitzed his kitchen in a cleaning frenzy. They however had to sit on opposite ends of the couch and not speak to each other while Genesis left them with Barney on the TV. After Zack yelled LOVELESS was a cruel punishment half an hour ago they ended up with Barney.

"How did you get me into trouble anyway?"

"Told him the truth." Cloud sighed not even bothering to keep quiet. "Anyway Genesis is asleep."

"Shit really." Zack asked looking over the sofa. He couldn't see anything anyway because the door was closed. "How do you know?"

"He hasn't returned in ten minutes." The blonde one didn't even bother to move from his position. "And he's been regulatory checking on us every three and a half minutes."

"Has anyone told you but you might do better as a Turk?" Zack asked slightly scared.

Cloud shrugged.

A, to say slightly would be putting it short, pissed off Angeal walked in.

"Sorry." Zack said looking remarkably like a told off puppy. "I'm really sorry. Really really really sorry. Like super duper sorry with cream and cherries sorry."

"Shut up Zack." Angeal stated with cold intensity. "Who said you can use my kitchen?"

"Gen because he didn't want me near his'." Zack sated still refusing to look up from the floor or ignore the fact Angeal asked him a rhetorical question. Cloud just ignored both of them mainly because he didn't want any part of this but also because Zack will dig himself into a hole and screwing himself over.

They both sat in silence as Angeal went to look for Genesis.

"The cadets really don't know how easy they have it. At least with Gen you know his is going to fira you and that gives you the chance to run or counter but with Angeal I'm always terrified what he's going to do. You never know." Zack stated obviously scared. "I forgot about never using his kitchen rule."

"Dumbarse." Cloud smirked. With him being around Genesis when other cadets were concerned kind of made him less terrified of anger people.

Concern crossed Zack face. "Do you hear wings flapping?"

Cloud shook his head but got up to lock the door anyway. The last thing anyone wanted was someone to walk in. No one needed to know about Genesis wing.

The edged carefully towards Genesis' room. One of two things could have happened and neither of them was good because it was quiet in the room.

Zack pushed the door open carefully and looked in. Genesis looked half dead because he was white as a ghost and almost looked demonic with blood dripping from his hands. He was staring at the bed. Edging the door even further they could see Angeal crashed out face first on the bed with two white wings fluttering carefully in the still room. Red slowly stained the wings and the bedspread as it crawled away from the source.

Blue eyes focused on them. "I didn't do it." Genesis stated walking past them and headed towards the bathroom. They both stood in silence staring at Angeal's body while listening to the auburn haired male retching in the bathroom.

"He's your mentor. You clean him up, I did mine." Cloud stated walking into the bathroom to help calm Genesis down.

Zack huffed and got stuck in. It was going to be a long afternoon.

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9

It was late evening and three bodies sat watching a superhero film that failed in the real life physics department on the auburn member of the groups TV. They could all agree that the car was awesome and the girl was hot. The youngest one had his head resting against Genesis shoulder who had in turn had crashed out on top of Zack. They were waiting for the final member of the group to wake up in Genesis' room.

"I want to do that." Cloud stated watching the stunt where the car was sliced into two by an elevator and drove off.

"Yeah. That would be awesome." The darker haired of the group agreed.

"You're both weird." Genesis yawned. His eye lids were getting heavy and Cloud was such a warm blanket. "It wouldn't slice it, it would crush it."

A shrill scream echoed through the apartment and possible the building and alarmed them to the fact the final member had woken up.

"What's the plan?" Zack asked. To be honest with himself it was fair payment in his mind to how he had treated Genesis.

They both shrugged at him.

"You're not a monster." Zack shouted into the room. "Honest."

A haggard Angeal walked into the room and glared at him. "How?" He pointed to both the white wings shedding onto Genesis floor.

"It's your gift of the goddess. To be an angel. If that what it means to be SOLIDER, I really want to be in even more." Cloud stated in slight awe. Without the blood matting the pure white feathers the wings looked stunning.

"I'm slightly jealous." Genesis stated quietly while looking away.

"They are not monster's wing." Zack stressed at him. "They are angel's wing. Who didn't want to fly when they were a kid?"

"What do angel's dream of Zack?" Angeal asked. "Becoming human."

"And humans dream of becoming angels." Cloud stated rather harshly and throwing everyone off guard. "Welcome to the vicious circle." He just didn't want Genesis to get depressed again. He had been recovering really well. He had started being able to take care of himself. Any set back was really bad.

"I..." Angeal stumbled.

"You have already lost your honour. At least now you have a reminder to of what you need to do to get it back." Cloud stated looking slightly hurt and scared because everyone was looking at him. "Why can't the two of you see it's a gift and not a curse?"

The auburn haired male took his cue off his confused friend to take his top off. He kept it in front of himself because he wasn't totally happy with being topless and released the black thing from his back. It stretched itself and flapped happily at being free.

Fear danced across Angeal's face. "Does this mean I'm degrading?"

"What?" The younger two males asked.

Genesis took a deep breath and told all three of them everything. How Hollander was trying to create a prefect solider, how Gillian was a part of the experiment, how they were both deemed failure, how his body was slowly destroying itself. When he told them everything that was a lie, there was still a lot more he could of told them but didn't. It was safer that way.

There was stunned silence in the room.

"I can't lose you two." Zack half cried. "I just got you back. I can't lose you two like this its..."

The front door opened and slammed shut. Cloud had left.

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"Where the hell is Modeoheim?" Zack asked aloud while reading off his PHS.

There was no one else in his apartment except the blond who had been hiding there for the last week. He was on no talking terms with Genesis. Unless it was training he wanted nothing to do with him and only then because he had no choice.

Blue eyes glanced at him before returning to the driving game. "In the middle of nowhere in some mountain." Cloud answered while trying to overtake the ghost driver without driving into him. "It's a reactor town." He didn't even bother to take his attention from the screen.

"I'm not even going to ask you how you know that." Zack sighed collapsing next to him on the sofa. "Me, Angeal and Genesis have a mission there. To find and retrieve Hollander. The Turks have an eye on him. We leave tomorrow morning. What to go and say bye about now?"

The pause screen flashed up on the ridiculously old tv. "Yeah."

"Ok. Just let me get packed."

Cloud sighed when Zack left the room and ejected the disk from the second hand console. He was no longer in any mood to play the game anymore. It always, especially recently, dawned on him that this could be any of their last missions and it terrified him. It was bad enough Genesis kept something that big from everyone. It didn't encourage him at all, what else could Genesis be hiding but this could be the last time he saw any of them. So he had to go say bye even if he was mad at him and Angeal wasn't that bad if you got over the whole messed up honour thing. "Wait who's mentoring me?" He called out.

There was a cry of ouch from the other room. "Didn't Genesis tell you?" Zack asked walking back in and realised what he said. "You have the week off to do as you please. He organised it about four days ago."

Cloud gave him the WTF look.

"Apparently the second that was originally going on the mission is still in the infirmary so I got drafted in like ten minutes ago." Zack explained. It slowly came apparent to him Genesis might have not wanted Cloud to know. "Him and Angeal had know a couple of days ago."

Cloud continued to look at him confused. None of that made sense.

"Right I'm going to go and get ready." Zack turned around and silently regretted putting Genesis in the shit with Cloud but Cloud was going to find out sooner than later.

His front door slammed and he knew instantly Spiky had gone. What had ever happened to his Cloudy who was scared of everyone? This new guy kept shocking him.

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A red coat was thrown into the bag when the front door slammed open and shut. The first class didn't need two guesses to know who it was. "Hi Cloud."

The pissed off blonde glared at him while catching his breath. "What the fu..."

Genesis just shook his head. "I can't refuse the mission."

"Not that. You gave me days off before you knew about the mission." Cloud half growled.

"I was hoping you and Zack could spend some time together." Genesis kept quiet and continued packing. He still had no idea what to take with him. Clothes, toothbrush, LOVELESS, he was sure something was missing but he had no idea what. Rapier. Wait she was by the front door.

"What were you going to do? Go without saying good bye?"

Anger fleeted across Genesis face before it was extinguished. "I'm sorry but who stopped talking to me all together. Just because I held something from you. Sorry Love that's life." Venom started too oozed out of his voice.

"That something was you were dying. Which sorry but is one of those things you tell your friends. Not that you care. We're just people you can screw with for the fun of it." Cloud gripped his trouser legs in an attempt not to punch Genesis because he knew he would get hurt.

"That was my choice and I obviously chose right in the first place." Genesis walked towards Cloud with the backpack in hand. "Not that you care. As long as you got a chance to get where you wanted to go it doesn't matter who is there in the way." He used his height to intimidate Cloud.

"Fuck you. You chose to."

"Yeah a mentally unstable person chose you Cloud. Aren't you happy?" Genesis patronised. "You just make everyone feel sorry for you. So everyone else does it instead."

Pain flared up on Genesis cheek. The force wasn't hard enough to move his head but it was still strong enough for someone mako enhanced to feel it. Cloud however swore gripping his hand and storming off. "Go fuck yourself." The blond half cried in anger before walking out.

The apartment never felt so empty.

* * *

><p>QE: DON'T KILL ME. *ducks*<p>

Recipe.

One mug.

One microwave.

4 Tablespoons Flour.  
>4 Tablespoons Sugar.<br>2 Tablespoons Cocoa powder.  
>2 Tablepsoons Vegetable Oil (Avoid strong flavor, eg olive, sesame, etc)<br>2 Tablespoons Water  
>Dash of salt<p>

Blitz in the microwave for about a minute but still needs to be wet in the middle.


	8. Act 8

QE:This might be the first time its been updated on time. *dies in shock*

Evestar:Although this another chapter that someone feel horrible for writting.

QE:Like I said in the first chapter. Its a horrible mutilation of the time line.

E.S.P:Oh yeah. If anyone wants to write a story as to why Kunsel's mad at Reno you hav eour permission to do so.

QE:It'll make more sense further down.

Cyndaquil:We own naff all. Got it memorized.

* * *

><p>None of them were happy. Why was it all three of the trinity and Zack was on this mission in the helicopter with Tseng of the Turks. It was like some badly scripted drama program.<p>

Genesis was unusually quiet and he also didn't have LOVELESS out which was rare and worried both the dark haired males. He wasn't talking so it left Zack with only Angeal to talk to not that he really care but neither of them wanted to talk near or to the silver haired general. They positioned themselves to protect Genesis at all costs. It was cold but the fire user felt even colder and the tension between all of them was frigid. Zack had cleverly resorted to PHSing Kunsel for some form of human contact. They had already been briefed so that was out the way annoyingly. At least then there was noise other than the rotations of the blades above them.

Outside was white. Inside was grey. Both were boring.

Zack couldn't help himself it was just sooooooooooo boring. He started to hum I know a song that will get in your nerves.

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The pile of paper work was stacked high, not only in Cloud's arms but also Kunsel's.

"Hey Cloud." Kunsel mumbled from behind the pile of paper. "Do you have the keycard to get into Zack place still?"

Cloud made an affirmative noise.

"Cool."

They made a few stops around the building. This helped the pile to go down however on occasion it would go back up again. After Zack and Reno's clever plan with the mail trolley and the really long hallway resulted in the second being reduced to carrying all the stupid paperwork. Kunsel was thankful for having Cloud around. It beat having Luxiere who was creepy on so many levels. He kind of regretted blackmailing one of the Turks but it had been worth it. However he felt bad for what he was about to do next.

They stopped outside Zack's apartment, they had to drop off other paperwork to other rooms. "Here." Cloud said trying not to drop all the papers while pulling the piece of plastic out of his pocket.

"Thanks." Kunsel managed to pocket it and walked off. "Zack said you can't have it back until you reconcile with Gen."

"Basterd. Why?" Cloud called out running after him.

"Because they are stuck on a helicopter with Sephiroth and he had nothing better to do then mess with your life. I also know you still keep Genesis' apartment key on you." Kunsel explained knocking on the next door. He kind of had to deliver to Turks as well and he really didn't want to see Reno after the incident. The one that will never be spoke of.

"Hey Kunsel."

"Shut up Reno."

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Nothing. He sighed and looked at Genesis. He had the fluffy hood pulled up over his face and was only visible in the snow storm due to the fact his coat was red. The snow storm had gotten really bad in the last hour. He hoped Angeal and Sephiroth were having more luck. They really needed answers.

"Any luck Gen?" Zack yelled over the wind. They needed shelter and soon.

The hooded figure shook his head but pointed to a structure he could barely make out. They went over, sword ready. Thankfully the goddess was smiling on them and it was a small rust house but all the windows still existed in place.

"Let's go in." Zack grinned. It wasn't trespassing, no one lived there and Shinra was the highest authority. As he kept telling himself.

It was so nice to get out of the wind and the snow. Zack quickly took off his coat and shook the excess snow off. Without the wind it was just a bit nippy. However it was warm compared to the outside. Genesis had taken his coat off and hung it on the back of a chair while he started on the fire place. Bonus points for being with a fire user in cold weather.

"What happened between you and Cloud?" Zack asked suddenly.

"I lost my temper and he lost his." The pyro answered not looking up from the logs. "Look around for some wood. This is all sodden."

The house was searched through with a fine tooth comb. It upset Zack how these people just up and left. There were still kid's toys and clothes left abandoned. Thankfully someone took all the pictures. He really didn't want to look at someone's face while he went through their stuff looking for kindle.

The roaring fire was so nice against his frozen bones that had been forced into a cross legged position. He glanced at his PHS, still no signal. Gen wasn't having much luck either. He had moved the chair closer to the fire and was sitting on the floor leaning back with one leg out in front of him and the other under him.

"We will have to wait until the storm moves on." The fire user stated with distaste.

"Yeah." He would have found the dancing snowflakes outside pretty if he wasn't so worried about Angeal. He didn't trust the General one bit.

"Maybe if we told stories it wouldn't be so bad." Genesis offered. The fires light flickered around and made him look more like a storyteller of old not the complete nutter he was.

"No. I don't want to hear LOVELESS again." Came the really childish reply.

"Fine you tell one."

Zack racked his brain for a story. He had never been one for them he always used to jump around the room with a bed sheet tied around his neck like a cape. "Erm. Give a man a fire he's warm for a night. Set a man on fire he's warm for the rest of his life."

"I can set you on fire if you want." The offer hung in the air while he received weird looks off his restless partner.

"No."

The red head took his gloves off and rubbed his eyes. "There once was a princess. She was beautiful and her heart was so pure everyone who came close to her left so happy that they couldn't stop smiling for weeks. She wasn't very old and one day a passing noble decided to take her. No one thought that anyone could be so cruel and take the heart of the land. When she woke up she was on a strange island where she had no memory. She made friends with two boys who she loved deeply. One night a great darkness swept through the island destroying everything in sight. The Princess in attempt to save the boy she loved the most gave him her heart. This left her in a coma. The other boy fell into the darkness as its slave. The hero had no idea he had her heart and woke up in a strange land just as the princess had all those years ago but unlike her he remembered and set off to find his friends." Genesis stopped much to Zack's annoyance. "I really need to reread that story. I haven't read it since I was six."

"What was it called?" Zack asked slightly miffed.

"Kingdom hearts." The auburn haired male ignored the weird look off Zack. "There were a good few books last time I checked."

The dark haired male remembered his Mum trying to read it to him. That failed. He kind of regretted it now, it sounded so interesting when told Genesis it. "Those books are huge. Did your Mum or Dad read it to you?" He couldn't help but notice Genesis shiver slightly.

There was a distinctive no off Genesis. "They didn't care."

Determined to keep the mood light he changed the subject. "Hey for a brief moment I really thought you were a proper story teller. With the cloak and everything."

Genesis laughed. A proper laugh the sounded like a forgotten melody that the world shouldn't be without. Zack kind of wished it hadn't stopped. "Gaia, maybe I missed my calling."

It was so sudden that it caught Zack off guard but Genesis' eyes went unfocused and he went limp before spasms raked through his body and forced his spine to arch.

The second class jumped over to help him. His hand recoiled in pain. Genesis was so cold it was like touching an icicle. "Damn it Gen why didn't you say you were cold?" He knew Genesis couldn't respond. His top was soaked through. Genesis probably didn't realise how quickly he was losing his temperature.

Zack quickly stripped the top off ignoring the ewws that racked him the back of his brain. Contrary to popular belief he rather guys stayed clothed. Girls however were a different ball game. He worked up courage and checked the trousers. Yep they were soaked through as well. "I hate you. You do know that right. How did you get your top wet anyway? You were wearing a decent parka." Zack shook his head and started on Genesis boot. How he wished Cloud was here right now. He could have pulled rank and made him do it.

Something changed. Genesis started to scream out in a strangled way. Zack went to check he wasn't choking on his own spit when tremors ran through the body. Genesis wing had to choose now to release itself. After its arrival the fire user calmed down but tears were present. "I'm sorry Gen." Zack truly felt it as well. He checked the wing over. It was thankfully warmer than the rest of him. If he could coax it around later that would be really helpful. "You have all the worse luck." He worked himself up to remove the last of the wet clothes. He wasn't going to enjoy this one bit. How he wished a crazed fan was here to strip Gen.

He never expected the kick to the face when he touched the zipper. The wall thudded when he made contact with it. Looking back at his superior he was curled up into a tight ball crying to himself and mumbling 'please don't' and 'sorry'. Zack was finding this all ridiculous and cried out to Genesis. "Short of hell firagaing this whole place what do you expect me to do?" Gen's wing was pinned awkwardly underneath him. Zack got up and pulled out a stun. Gen was already weak anything else could kill him but if he could stun him, strip him and get him warm before cure him quick enough then he could be onto a winner here. "You have no choice in this Gen it's for your own good." He knew those words were going to have a negative effect but they were to help himself. Slotting the stun into the wrist band he quickly focused on Gen and let the energy go. He got to work as quickly as possible. He felt guilty because he knew Genesis was fighting against the magic.

He grabbed the blanket off the empty sofa and covered Genesis before flying around the house to get more clothes.

"Still hate you." Zack sighed. All their clothes were drying and he slipped under the covers. Thankfully neither of them were naked as the day they were born but it was still awkward as hell for Zack. "At least your wings warm."

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Waking up to the annoying ring was always the least favourite way of waking up for Zackary Fair. He nuzzled Aerith and ignored it. To hell with whatever Shinra wanted. Feeling like he wanted to be a complete pervert he squeezed her boob. Except it didn't feel right. There was too much muscle. Cracking his eye open he regretted it and desperately tried not to scream out. Yesterday came back to him and he grabbed the PHS. "Hey Tseng. Please say there is good news."

"No. Angeal went missing last night. Sephiroth is currently looking for him." The indifferent voice stated.

"Yeah well Genesis was suffering from hypothermia last night." Zack sighed, he wasn't entirely sure that was what it was but he had no better explanation. "I'll try and drag his ass there but I'll doubt it would do any good." 'Why would Angeal run off?' Rang through Zack's head. He was sure Angeal was a lot better about his wing then he was when it first appeared. He was even sitting watching films with it out before they left.

There was intense silence between them.

"Attempt to make it back to camp before nightfall." Tseng stated. "If you can't. Message me. I have your location already."

"Thanks." Was all Zack could say. He ended the call and dropped his PHS before cuddling up close to Genesis. It was cold and he was warm again.

"Zackary. Why are we naked?" Asked a really confused voice.

"We're not. We both have boxers on." The puppy stated listening and counting the heart beats. It was steady but not entirely strong yet.

"But why?" The warm body started to shift.

"How much do you remember of last night?" Zack asked shifting to look at Genesis. Maybe it wasn't hypothermia but he had a session. A really bad session that didn't fill Zack with any confidence. This could be dangerous.

"Telling stories then I blacked out."

"Pretty much that but I thought you were dying of hypothermia."

Blue eyes relaxed and Genesis shifted away from Zack. "Let me get up then. I'm fine now."

They quickly got dressed and sat around the newly made roaring fire. Zack was finding the entire situation awkward.

"So how much does Degradation affect you?" Zack asked hoping to break the silence.

A glare was shot his way so he fell silent.

"We need to go get food." Zack stated, he was thinking along the lines that if he could get them doing something then it would be a lot better than sitting around.

"So base camp then?"

A slow nod was his reply.

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The snow drifted happily to the ground but it didn't make Zack feel any better. They trudged through the ground and disturbed all the snow in their path. They were heading towards a cluster of buildings they had failed to check last night. For some reason Tseng thought it was a good idea to check them out now. Even if Genesis could have died last time.

"I hate the cold." Zack grumbled while tugging his parka closer around his body.

"Where were you from?" A concerned voice asked from behind him but there was still some mocking tone in it. "A tropical area."

"Yeah." Zack turned around and flashed a grin. "I wish I could go home soon. Maybe take Aerith and Cissnei." Zack started to smile. "Mum would love to me you, Cloud and Angeal. Knowing her she'd slap me first. I ran away from home." He gave Genesis a sheepish grin. "Maybe she could make us her famous frog pie." He ignored the fake retching Genesis mocked. "Man want I'd do to be there now."

"Home means that much to you?" Genesis asked confused again. "I know Angeal goes home because he feels he has to and I go home because he drags me."

"Home's in Midgar with you lot." Zack smiled gentle. He kicked a half fused together door down. "Being back with my parent's would be nice but to be honest I'd rather spend time with Aerith. And of course you."

They both looked around confused. It had been bugging both of them because this area is abandoned and often monsters would inhabit the place. However their entire trip here had been monsterless. Even here in the old bath house nothing jumped out at them.

"Saying that. Cloud wants to go back to Nibelheim to see his mum." Zack stated poking open a door with his sword. He wasn't going to get close if something was in there. Nothing was there. Genesis was doing the same on the other side of the room. "Or get his mum down here. Whichever is easiest. Talking on the phone just isn't good enough."

"Why don't you phone your parents up?" Genesis called from the other side.

"They don't have a phone and reception in Gongaga is shit."

There was a small confirmation noise. Genesis had stopped listening. It was nice while it lasted. Zack rarely got to talk about home.

Fingers ran across a disturbed area on the wall. It looked like a blade had impacted it and the dust had been disturbed. He looked down. A brown stain had imprinted itself on the floor. "Gen." Zack whined. Not far from the brown stain was a more reddish brown stain. Then a similar set if droplets moving away.

He tried not to jump when a hand lay on his shoulder. "That doesn't look good." Genesis stated following the red drip road.

There were move indents on the wall. There were much deeper and more of a fury. Stuff had been cut into pieces. "What do you think could of happened?" Zack asked slightly confused, normally he only had to deal with ninjas and monsters and none of them left this kind of trail.

Genesis ignored him and ran an ungloved hand over one of the slices. "This is one of the buster sword's."

Zack tried to ignore the pained look in Genesis' eyes. "Wait Angeal never uses his buster sword." He received a nod. "Then what happened?"

"Whatever it was it never left a mark anywhere."

They both eyed the blood trail and silently drew their own weapons.

Zack could feel his heartbeat increase but he breathing slowed down. They headed forwards in silence just like they had trained. Sunlight slowly invaded their eye sight and the wind picked up carrying ice with it.

The room was large. With huge windows. Some had been broken leaving the room open to the elements. The setting sun cast warm glows throughout the room.

In the middle of the room layout a dark body. Around it laid white feathers looking like a funeral ornament. Red stains around the feathers refused to touch the whiteness. There was no sound in the room. Not even any detectable breathing from the bundle. The entire room looked as if it was locked in time.

Everything was shattered as the youngest male raced across the room. He skidded to a stop next to his mentor. Automatically he checked for a pulse.

His skin was frozen cold and blood oozed out slowly through wounds on his abdomen. He feebly called out Angeal's name. "Please don't die." Zack had never seen a loved one die before and he really didn't want it to be here and now. He wanted everyone together just a little longer.

"Zack?" A cracked voice asked.

Zack glanced back to Genesis. He was on his PHS and obviously trying to get help here and fast. He prayed it would be quick enough.

"It's ok. Just rest we'll get you out of here safe." Zack forced a smile and grabbed his water container. Angeal just needed something to drink then his wounds healed. He'll be fine. He just had to be. He tried not to get angry when Angeal refused the liquid.

"You did well Zack." Zack hated to way he sounded like this was his last breath. "The rest is for you." Angeal struggled to push the buster sword towards him.

"Don't talk like that. You're going to be fine." He held back the tears.

"Hold on to your dreams and don't let it get away from you. If you want to be a hero you have to hold onto your dreams...and also your pride."

It only took a mere second. One second and Angeal was lost to the world. One second and the Gaia stream took its son back. One second a mentor and a friend was lost forever. Only old memories existed and the ability to create new ones lost.

In one second the world became a lonely place.

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"If we are on the upper city the sky must be close right?" Aerith called from her flowers. She knew Zack walked in. What worried her was he was silent.

She turned around and walked over to him. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders she placed her head against his and let him cry.

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Cloud ignored the front door opening and closing. So what Genesis was home he didn't have to care he existed. He was still mad at him. He wasn't even going to admit he kind of missed him.

He pulled his cover further up his head and tried to get back to sleep. He wasn't listening to the body moving around in the other room.

He tensed as his door was opened and the body walked in.

He sat up to glare and have a go at Genesis when he saw the state he was in...He looked like a walking corpse. His auburn hair hung in front of his red framed eyes as his head was lowered. He was shaking.

"Angeal died." The voice was so full of fear and could barely stop itself from crying.

Cloud couldn't think of anything to say or do. He grabbed Genesis and pulled him onto the bed and hugged him tightly as he could and refused to let go. They both shared tears.

* * *

><p>QE:The words 'don't kill me' come to mind.<p> 


	9. Act 9

Genesis lent against the wall in silence. His head was hung in shame. No one was around to say or do anything. His red coat was shoved into the rucksack next to him. He couldn't face wearing it right now. It didn't feel right.

He had taken it on himself to go and tell Gillian, she had the right to know in person not by some formal letter. Angeal would never have wanted that for her. This was much to Tseng's annoyance but he understood and gave permission to let them go. Cloud and Zack were still getting ready and what was left of Angeal was being sorted for her to deal with. Genesis felt guilty than he never knew what 'Geal wanted done after he died.

He still didn't know for himself.

His huff rang through the corridor. Since he'd been back he just felt like Shinra building was a huge crypt and it scared him slightly. Like it was them who decided who lived or died. No one was a person anymore.

A familiar buzz went off in his coat pocket and he started to fish it out of his bag. The message was off Zack saying they were going to be late because Cloud couldn't find his teddy. Not that Cloud ever slept with the creepy chocobo but he's mum had made it out of every scrap of fabric in their house and it meant a lot to him.

As he started to type on his PHS he noted a flash of silver dance across the screen. Sephiroth had snuck up on him and was standing metres away. How was he so damn quiet? He ignored him and started to act as if he hadn't seen it. Why should he waste time on something he knew who only lead to pain and hurt. Life was way too short.

"GenGen." The nick name that once brought him happiness now made his shudder along with the deep voice whispering it. "I want to apologise. I behaved like a fool."

Genesis barely reframed from sneering at him and stating how it was the understatement of the century. He glared at the screen instead. Deep down he just wanted to punch the guy next to him, to scream and shout, to set fire to him, hell he would be happy putting superglue in his shampoo. Yes, Genesis decided, he was that petty. Maybe he could convince Zack to do it when they got back.

He regretted vanishing into his own head when a hand gently forced him to look into those green eyes. He felt his shoulders slump in defeat and scolded himself for giving up so easily. If anything Cloud and Zack said was true now would be the time to start believing it.

"I'm sorry. Maybe this makes me a coward. I don't know. I know that I don't deserve anything from you, but I can only hope that you'll will understand what I'm saying, knowing that I mean every one of them. I am truly, truly sorry for what I did to you. I know you are hurting now, and I know that's all because of me. I promised that I would never hurt you like this, and I did it anyway. I was supposed to be the one who would protect you from this sort of pain; I never intended to be the cause."

Genesis glared at Sephiroth but he did not shut up and continued. That speech sounded scripted and ripped off the web. Which to be honest wouldn't surprise him.

"I don't know if it's ever possible for you to forgive me, but..."

"SHUT THE FUCK UP." Genesis screamed and startled the General. Any other time that would have made him laugh. He slapped the hand away from his face and back way. "You don't understand. Not only did you hurt me physically but mentally. I don't care if you want my forgiveness or not. You also need to get it off Angeal. You hurt him just as much." Genesis barely got his words out through his anger. Heat washed through him like if he was using materia but he had none set. "I can never forgive you." He stressed each word making sure Sephiroth understood them. "I will only ever tolerate you because we have to work together. Other than that I want nothing to do with you." In an act of spite he slapped Sephiroth. The other was still too shocked to do anything and was standing there like a statue.

The red haired commander turned around and grabbed his bag before walking off in the direction of Zack's apartment.

It didn't surprise him that they were standing behind the corner. At this point he was shaking so hard he could barely support himself. Cloud grabbed him in a desperate attempt to keep him upright. They both had a sense of urgency and help Genesis get as far away as possible. That and neither of them really wanted to face Sephiroth right now.

"Do you have Materia set?" Zack asked after a while.

Genesis shook his head. He'd been banned since last time he set the sprinklers off trying to set fire to some cadet. Just because he hadn't done it recently doesn't mean he hadn't done it in the past. Lazard got sick of filling in the forms when he did lose his temper.

"Then how did you set fire to your hand?" Zack asked. Cloud nodded but he refused to let Genesis go. After the night they cried together they barely left each other's side.

All three of them looked really confused at each other before giving up because their brains hurt. The younger two were sure they had seen fire and the eldest one couldn't really care less as there had to be enough mako in his system to at some point he must have magic in his system. That was all materia was; crystallized mako.

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He stood nervously at the door unsure of himself. Before him stood a dainty dark haired woman wrapped in a shawl and behind him stood Cloud and Zack.

"Hello Genesis." She offered sweetly. It just made what he was going to say harder. What should he say to the only adult that gave him warmth? "Where's Angeal?" She asked looking behind him. "Does he know you're here?"

"Mrs Hewley. I'm so sorry. He..." Tears threatened to spill over.

Realisation dawned on her. "No. No you don't." She begged. Obviously she saw the truth in his eyes. "There's no way in Gaia you survive and Angeal doesn't. Not my baby. It's your fault. You lead him to his death you DEMON!" She ended up screaming and slammed the door in his face. He never expected that. He wasn't entirely sure how he should be feeling right now, so he just empty instead. No where here held any warmth what so ever.

He hadn't realised he was moving until someone called after him but he just kept walking.

Everything hurt.

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Zack locked eyes with Cloud. "Go. I'll deal with her." He shoved Cloud to go after the First and glared at the crowd until they left and knocked on the door.

Cloud nodded and ran after Genesis. He had lost sight of him so resorted to tracking him like one of the mountain rabbits back home. All the low hanging trees threaten to drop their bruised looking load on his head scared him but he pushed forward through the sandy dirt. Guilty racked him mind. If they knew this was going to happen he would never had agreed to let Genesis come. It was his entire fault.

"Genesis!" He cried out when he lost the tracks. He was completely lost. He was so focused on finding Genesis he had not paid attention to where he came and was going.

"Hey." A voice called from behind a thicket of stupid trees.

The blond was thankful for his small body when he got through the grabby branches. Behind shocked him a little. It was a den. Complete with makeshift chairs and table, it had been cleared out and there were crudely drawn pictures onto the wall, of heroes and dragons and damsels in distress.

Blue eyes looked slightly hurt at him.

"It was ours." The horsed voice stated carefully in case it decided to break.

"Wow." Cloud stated looking around "I never had anything like this." he sat down near Genesis. He could feel Genesis shudder from pain even at a distance.

"I have spent many nights here..." Whatever he said was lost in the pain and confusion of his mind. The blond could see too many painful memories behind his eyes. He had to think how many of them used to be happy now reminds him of a friend lost.

Cloud nodded. What could he say? He silently wished Zack was here, he would know what to say...or do.

Leather clad fists gripped tightly onto his own knees. "I am no better than a monster. I constantly hurt you." Genesis finally stated after a while of silence. He refused to look at Cloud. "I hurt everyone around me and drag them to places of pain."

Cloud lost his temper at that moment. He didn't mean to shout but it just happened that way. "Did you deliberately set out to hurt me? No. I never thought so, through I should know better but I don't. You're not the only one who thinks he's the worst in the world everyone does at some point even Zack so don't give up you've done more good than you realised and you are not a monster. Hear me, you Genesis Rhapsodos are not a monster." He shook the first's shoulders for good measure. "Get it."  
>The first looked at him completely confused then that feral look he knew of so well appeared. The one when a cadet annoyed him and Cloud was still a cadet so he ran. He ran as fast as he could. He didn't get far as a heavy weight knocked him over.<p>

"You real are a pain in the ass." An almost feral growl passed his ear.

Hot breaths sent shivers down his spine as he tried so hard to ignore the heavier body on top of him. He really didn't appreciate eating dust at this moment in time. "Should I be worried about your mood swings?" He asked in the off chance Genesis might get off him.

"Yes Cloud. Yes you should." Something warm and wet moved from the bottom of his cheek to next to his eye. It didn't take him two guesses as to what had happened.

"Ew. Get off me." Cloud cried out while desperately trying to get out from under Genesis. "Why are you so heavy?"

"I would be careful what you say if I was you." A sharp pointy knee moved to his back. "You're not in the position to make fun of me are you?"

"Seriously you two." A new voice entered. They both looked up to see Zack walk towards them with an old sight strapped to his back.

"Can't we have five minutes to forget that there's hurt in the world?" Genesis asked moving from Cloud's back.

"She though he would have wanted me to have it." Zack obviously sounded hurt by the prospect. At least they had a reminder about Angeal. "Use brings about wear, tear and rust right."

Deciding now was a good idea; Cloud exacted his revenge on Genesis. He licked Genesis' cheek then ran off in the other direction. The last thing he heard was Zack saying "You go left. I'll go right." And Genesis agreeing. He was so dead.

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Camping, Zack decided, wasn't as bad as Reno made out. Instead of going straight back as originally planned they forced Tseng to let them camp out under the helicopter for one night. He thought they were all insane but settled down next to them regardless.

It was a pleasant night and they had all parked themselves as close to the resident pyro as possible. Except Cloud was parked between him and Genesis but unlike Cloud and Tseng he had Mako in his system so he'd be fine. The peaceful night had lulled all but him to sleep and when he looked to his side he could see Genesis was wide awake as well.

"Hey Gen?" Zack asked. A blue eye focused on him but the head didn't move. "Why did you join SOLIDER?"

"Angeal wanted to save everyone." He said quietly. "The entire world and I stupidly thought this was the way to do it." He closed his eye and sighed. "Why did you join?"

Zack chuckled. "To be a hero. Why else?"

"Unattainable dreams." Genesis smiled. "You can never reach them and that's why they are so good."

"How is that good?" Zack asked genuinely hurt.

"What happens when people reach the goal? They give up or go for harder ones. If you can't reach it, Zackary, you will always have a purpose."

"Yeah." He stated staring off at the stars. "Hey my Dad once told me. Look at the stars. Every great person of the past looks down on us from those stars."

"Zack you're so full of shit." Tseng grumbled. "Go to sleep or I will shoot both of you. In the head."

"Sorry." Zack mumbled. "You know what?" Tseng moaned and rolled over. "I hope I always have memories like this. Even when I'm old and grey and still trying to become a hero. Even in my darkest days. I want to remember you guys like this."

"Zack." Genesis said softly. "In the nicest possible way. Shut the fuck up."

Zack couldn't help but grin when he saw Genesis was smiling to himself. So what if today could have gone better? This here and now was just so nice. It was kind of worth the bad and the heartache. He just hoped Angeal was here with them because that would be a nice send off.


	10. Act 10

QE: Hey guys. Thanks to the amazing reviewers and alerters who kept reminding me this story needed finishing.

Evestar: Cloud's panicing attack is based on one somebody had a while back.

QE: It wasn't glorious.

E.S.P: She owns nothing.

* * *

><p>The once quiet apartment was being invaded by screaming. Whatever it was woke Genesis from his sleep and he bolted into the living room with Rapier ready to impale anything nearby.<p>

Blue eyes looked at him in fear. Hands were trembling with the PHS about ready to fall out of them. "Please say I read this wrong. Please. Please. Please." The piece of plastic was shoved in unsuspecting hands.

Tired eyes looked at the message. It was a mission request for Cloud Strife to go to Nibelheim in two days for a routine check on the reactor. He had no idea why Cloud was having a panic attack over...the realisation dawned on him. "Cloud you're Sixteen years old. You can cope with this. You cope with me." He sighed when he saw the blond sink to the floor gripping one of the high quality royal blue cushions for his life. "Breathe god damn it." He growled.

"I'm dead. So dead. Deader than dead. Reanimated dead and double tapped dead."

Genesis sighed and left Cloud to his rant on how dead he was. Something warm or alcoholic sounded good about now. Or knock out pills for Cloud. Or a pillow...over the face...until he stops moving. He stopped and sighed. "Tea or hot chocolate?"

"Why does it matter? I'm going to die anyway."

His eye twitched. What would be the worse Zack can do to him if he killed Cloud now and saved the trouble later? He didn't want to hazard a guess and got the chocolate powder out of the cupboard. He wanted to know why Cloud couldn't wait until morning like a normal person and viewed this thought to Cloud.

The blond had managed to drag himself to the kitchen floor although it mainly involved Genesis dragging him in by the arm; he didn't trust him not to do something stupid. "I've had phone calls and messages off Zack then meant I had to go and get him from some trouble one way or another so I'm used to answering the phone when I get messages." Cloud stated through the couch cushion. "Even at stupid hours of the day."

There was a loud bang at the front door as someone ran into it and then let themselves in.

"I get to meet Cloudy's Mum." The walking hurricane grinned bouncing up and down on the spot before doing squats.

Genesis glared at him, who the hell had that kind of energy at...six in the morning. He poured an extra cup of chocolate and handed them out. "I'm going to get dressed." He stated to no one before walking off and threatening Zack with his mistress still in his hand. No one argued with his Rapier and lived to tell the tale. He vaguely heard Zack giving Cloud a pep talk. "Come on you get to go back and show people you've been hobnobbing with SOLIDER. Whatever that means."

"Shut up Zack."

He looked at his PHS and sighed he had a message as well. He was on the same mission as those two. However the thing nearly when flying across the room, the other person on this mission had to be no other than Sephiroth.

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The red commander sighed as he lent against the wall next to his lamb throwing up into the crappy bucket. Every so often he would gently kick Cloud just to let him know he was still there.

"Thanks." Cloud stated once one fit of vomit subsided.

"What for?" Gen asked confused.

"Most people just leave me to it." Whatever he was going to say next was cut off by a new fit of vomiting. The worst part was they were still on gentle roads.

"Next time I'm drugging you up." Genesis sighed.

Thankfully because they were travelling with the General, which meant they had a stripped out coach all to themselves. However it meant he had to physically kick Zack to the other side of the room or threaten to handcuff him to the other side of the room so he'd stop being a mother Chocobo to Cloud. Saying which, he shot a glare to the other side of the coach to stop him getting any closer.

"Do I need to get the driver to stop?" Asked the cool voice, one green eye was cracked open.

Giving Cloud one finally glance he sighed. "Might be a good idea but let's stop at a town so I can knock him out."

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Fresh...ish air helped calm Cloud's fits down just enough. The old Cloud was back. The one that apologised for everything and anything.

"Say sorry one more time and I'm stabbing you." Genesis growled as he dropped Cloud next to a tree.

Zack and the driver had gone off into town to get stuff like anti sickness tables and disinfectant. Leaving him with a chocobo half crying to himself and HIM, standing on the other side watching like they were a tv program.

"No one likes being sick Cloud." Genesis sighed giving him a gentle kick. The boy had curled up and rolled over onto his side in an attempt to calm down.

Last time he had to deal with a sick person was Angeal before they left for Shin-ra and that involved a lot of shouting and swearing. He ended up sitting outside his door and only left or entered the room when Angeal needed something. It was one of the few times Angeal had properly lost his temper with him. That was the first time he had ever saw someone sick. This time the person was completely different and had no idea what to do and it pissed him off no end.

"How come you weren't this ill going to Bandora?"

"I'd passed out remember." Came a wheezy reply.

"Your fault you hit your head." Genesis sighed and kicked Cloud lightly again.

"Not my fault. Zack picked me up." A mumble reply and the body turned over.

"Speaking of the Porcupine." Genesis groaned. He felt sorry for the driver but thankfully when they got to the next village the poor guy could disappear and the four...three of them could drive the vehicle.

"We have." Zack grinned bounding over to them. "Ginger beer, dry crackers, antiseptic spray because they had no disinfectant, tablets and..." Genesis face palmed when Zack held up a child's colouring book.

"I'm not even going to ask." He rolled his eyes as the puppy started to do squats.

"But want if we get bored?" Zack whined pulling off the best puppy dog eyes look possible.

"I have Fira." Zack squealed and ran away from the scary looking guy.

It took the best part of half an hour to get Cloud to keep the tablet down.

Once again Genesis stood next to Cloud as he kept the bucket preoccupied. "How the hell did you make it down here?" Genesis asked as they left the gentle roads.

"I have no idea." Cloud answered.

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Niblehiem was white. They had to come early winter. A certain someone hated the cold.

Cloud couldn't help but laugh at Zack who was clinging to Genesis for warmth.

"Why couldn't we come in summer?" Zack whined.

"Because there is always an influx of dragons." Cloud sighed trying so hard not to laugh as he still felt dodgy. "Excuse me I'm going to put my helmet on."

"Seriously is that a good idea? Do you want a helmet full of vomit?" Zack asked poking his head between Genesis' arm and chest.

"Zackary." Came a deep warning.

"You know I like you better when you were unstable. I was less likely to die." Zack stated not bothering to move.

Cloud snorted before moving away to find his helmet. He felt eyes bore into the back of his head but he ignored it. What good would stirring up trouble do now?

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Cloud had vanished off in the middle of setting up for the night to go warn his mum she had three guests. This left Genesis and Zack time to be childish. They were his elders and most of the time they were more immature than he was.

However they immatureness involved superglue and a certain silverette general's shampoo bottle. It kind of helped that he was standing at the window looking out over the mountains and not really paying attention to those around him. They had no idea what he was on about but he kept mumbling about the feeling of being here before.

However Genesis conveniently forgot to tell Zack he had superglue on his hand. So he cleverly managed to glue his hand to his face.

Which was how Cloud found them when he walked in. "Why can't I leave you two for two minutes?" They both shrugged at him. "She says we can turn up later tonight. We just need to give her time to go shopping and don't expect anything fancy."

"Any ideas with glue?" Zack asked trying to wave his hand but it was difficult with his face attached to it.

"Pull your hand away quickly then use cure?" Was Cloud only suggestion.

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Cloud had to admit it. Watching two SOILDERs cowering in their seats because of a small middle age woman wielding a frying pan was too funny not to laugh at. They couldn't even escape out the door right next to them. However he didn't want a frying pan to the face so he stayed quiet. He really didn't expect his mum to remember all the stories he had told her. It wasn't his fault; he had friends for the first time in his life and told her everything. Well almost everything, he still hadn't told her he had broken his arm or the kiss.

He forgot how mad his mother was. She was an inch shorter than him with semi spiky blond hair that was longer than his and she was wearing her favourite white lace apron.

Currently she was red in the face. "So any pictures?" She finished sounding normal and slightly hopeful.

They both just stared at her.

"What? If my son's done stupid things I want to see the evidence."

Zack fished his PHS out of his pocket and proceeded to spend the next half an hour explaining every picture, even ones he wasn't in. Genesis shifted off the seat so she could sit next the porcupine and he moved across the small place to sit next to the fire with Cloud.

"Hey." Cloud smiled. He felt concerned because he couldn't read the look on Genesis' face. "You ok?

He nodded but didn't look to happy.

Cloud slumped next to him and let him pat his hair like a dog. He had to admit it felt nice. Every so often he would stick his tongue out at him mum as she laughed at him.

"Really Cloud? Didn't I teach you better?" She half laughed.

"You taught me how to duck out of the way of frying pans." He bit back. It was half arsed but he could his point across. They would bicker but it was never anything serious. Serious stuff involved cooking and a deep conversation. He was vaguely aware Zack and Genesis were getting uncomfortable.

His mum turned his attention to Zack and proceeded to quiz him on his life.

"Want to go upstairs?" He almost sighed with relief when he received and nod and dragged Genesis upstairs into his room.

The scary thing was his room was the same size as Genesis walk in wardrobe. He knew that disapproving look on his mentors face. "Welcome?" He half smiled. The room was only wide enough to fit his bed in, the wardrobe was pushed up against it and a small shelf with his rescued second hand books sat opposite to the wardrobe. "What's up?" He asked.

"She loves you but she insults you at every opportunity. Why is it she can do that but everyone else hurts you." There was no emotion in his voice.

Cloud blinked. "I don't know. I think because she loves me and I can give it back. If push comes to shove she'd defend me." He groaned when he closed his door. Why did he forget his Silver Elite poster was still stuck up there?

"Is that your reason for joining Shinra?" It was a half mocking voice.

"Yes." He sighed. "You can sit down. I was just worried you were having a session."

"I was." Came the simple answer. "There was a dead SOLIDER standing by the front door bleeding everywhere. I could feel him breathing next to me." Genesis flopped back on the bed and managed to hit his head on the wall behind him.

"Is that all?" Cloud asked trying not to laugh.

"Would your mum kill me if I left her a decent amount of Gil?"

"Yeah." Cloud ran his head through his blond hair. "She hates charity and you are her guests."

"What if I gave it to you and you gave it to her?" Genesis asked.

The blond sighed and sat next to his friend on the bed and brought his knees up to his chest. "Why do you have such an issue with money?" He asked. It had been bugging him for a while now.

"Growing up that was all that was important to my parents. It is weird seeing other people survive so well...better without it. Sometimes I wished we had no money so we could be happy." The lack of emotion gave Cloud reason to worry.

"That's depressing." He sighed. "No wonder it's a huge issue."

"What books do you have?" Genesis asked in an attempt to get away from the subject.

"Mainly fairy tales." The blond smiled into his knees. "Sorry no LOVELESS. If you want to talk to someone about it ask the crazy person."

The door slammed open. "The crazy person wants to know if you two are coming down for dinner." Asked Mrs. Strife.

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Somehow they didn't notice that there was a snowstorm outside and were unable to get back to the hotel. So Genesis messaged Sephiroth saying they were staying at Cloud's mum's place. He messaged back 'that's nice'.

Cloud was going to kill Zack in the morning. He slipped up about the kiss so his Mum went into overdrive and tried to embarrass him. However the slip up prevented an awkward conversation about him being unable to sleep without Genesis next to him. So he won't kill Zack maybe just maim him. A little.

Due to limited spacing and Zack being scared of his Mother, Zack was currently on the couch sexting his girlfriend, his Mum was in his bed and he and Genesis had the double bed. He kind of hoped Zack was warm enough down there. He would go down and check but Genesis was just too warm. "Are you thinking about what my Mum said?" He asked. He didn't realise while he and Zack 'washed up' his Mum had dragged Genesis off and gave him a serious talking to. He had no idea what it was about but Genesis had been in deep thought ever since.

"Yeah." He sighed while having a staring contest with the wall. "She gave me the boyfriend talk. The last person who gave me that was Angeal and it wasn't half way as interesting as you're Mother's version." There was a slight hint of a smile.

"Did it involve a frying pan?" Cloud asked with a raised eyebrow. He didn't know his mum had one ready for him but some part of him told him Genesis was lying to him.

"Yeah."

Cloud rolled his eyes. He looked into Genesis' eyes to look for something. He wasn't sure what but he had a slight plan and he needed to know it was ok. He saw nothing that would discourage him in those ocean blue eyes.

He smirked and Genesis and went under the covers.

Genesis had no idea what was going on until he felt the boxers being tugged down.


End file.
